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Water sports firm pleads guilty to Mari-Simon Cronje death charge Water sports firm pleads guilty to Mari-Simon Cronje death charge
(35 minutes later)
A water sports centre has pleaded guilty to corporate manslaughter after an 11-year-old girl died after falling from an inflatable banana boat ride. A water sports centre has pleaded guilty to corporate manslaughter after a girl was killed in a fall from an inflatable banana boat ride.
Mari-Simon Cronje was hit by the boat which had been towing the inflatable at the Prince's Sporting Club in Bedfont, west London, in September 2010. Mari-Simon Cronje, 11, was hit by the boat which had been towing the inflatable at the Prince's Sporting Club in Bedfont, west London, in 2010.
Her father Andre Cronje said the firm had "individually and collectively avoided taking responsibility".Her father Andre Cronje said the firm had "individually and collectively avoided taking responsibility".
The company was fined £135,000 after it accepted culpability for the death.The company was fined £135,000 after it accepted culpability for the death.
But Frederick Glen Walker, a director at the firm, was cleared of any offences at Southwark Crown Court. Frederick Glen Walker, a director at the firm, was cleared of any offences at Southwark Crown Court.
Mr Walker, from Cobham, Surrey had faced a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act, but the Crown Prosecution Service dropped charges against him. Mr Walker, from Cobham, Surrey had faced a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act, but the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges against him.
The company is no longer in operation.The company is no longer in operation.
Fine 'every penny'Fine 'every penny'
Following the hearing Mr Cronje said: "We are, and always will be, deeply disappointed by the conduct and behaviour of the boat driver, the management and the owner of PSC.Following the hearing Mr Cronje said: "We are, and always will be, deeply disappointed by the conduct and behaviour of the boat driver, the management and the owner of PSC.
"There was no appreciation for the risk inherent from towing the children in the water. Emergency procedures were not in place. This directly contributed to Mari-Simon's death."There was no appreciation for the risk inherent from towing the children in the water. Emergency procedures were not in place. This directly contributed to Mari-Simon's death.
"They (PSC) have individually and collectively avoided taking responsibility for the sub-standard way this was carried out." "They (PSC) have individually and collectively avoided taking responsibility for the substandard way this was carried out."
Fining PSC Judge McCreath said: "I propose to fine the company every penny that it has. I have no greater power to do anything other than impose a fine and I cannot impose a greater fine than all of its assets. Judge Alistair McCreath said: "I propose to fine the company every penny that it has. I have no greater power to do anything other than impose a fine and I cannot impose a greater fine than all of its assets.
"The principal culpability was to promote this activity to take place in circumstances where there were no onlookers."The principal culpability was to promote this activity to take place in circumstances where there were no onlookers.
"It doesn't seem to me to be anything other than absolutely obvious that if a large group of children are towed behind a speedboat... There should be somebody on board to keep an eye on that [inflatable]." "It doesn't seem to me to be anything other than absolutely obvious that if a large group of children are towed behind a speedboat... there should be somebody on board to keep an eye on that [inflatable]."
The fined amount included £100,000 set aside by owner William Bottriell to keep the company from going into liquidation, the court heard.
The safety procedures in place in the industry were condemned by Mr Cronje and the judge.
Mari-Simon was attending a children's birthday party and was part of a group riding the inflatable on a lake at the site.Mari-Simon was attending a children's birthday party and was part of a group riding the inflatable on a lake at the site.
'Lax attitude'' The court heard that there were several health and safety failings.
Southwark Crown Court heard that there were several health and safety failings.
The driver, New Zealander Matthew Gibson, had no UK-recognised qualification despite having five years' experience as a ski-boat driver, and staff said there was a "lax" attitude to health and safety.The driver, New Zealander Matthew Gibson, had no UK-recognised qualification despite having five years' experience as a ski-boat driver, and staff said there was a "lax" attitude to health and safety.
The court heard factors that contributed to the girl's death included the lack of an observer on the boat at the time of the incident to see if someone had fallen into the water.
In addition, the speed of the boat, its "unnecessary" turning at tight angles and the colour of the equipment the children were wearing, which made it difficult to spot them in the water, were all contributory factors, it was claimed.
The court was told how parents of some of the children were watching from picnic tables when Mari-Simon fell off.
Two of the witnesses leapt into the lake after failing to get Mr Gibson's attention. The driver later told police he did not see the girl come off.