Leaders put Scouts’ lives at risk, says coroner

THE SCOUT Association is putting the lives of young people at risk, a coroner said as he discharged the jury in the inquest of a teenager who fell from a clifftop.

Ben Leonard, 16, suffered a serious head injury when he fell about 200ft at the Great Orme in Llandudno while on a trip with Reddish Explorer Scouts in August 2018.

Yesterday, the fifth day of the inquest at Ruthin County Hall, assistant coroner for North Wales David Pojur discharged the jurors before they reached their conclusions.

He said the Scout Association failed to provide the court with the full information and “created a misleading impression”.

Issuing a report to prevent future deaths, he said: “The lives of young people are being put at risk by the Scout Association’s failure to recognise the inadequacies of their operational practice and the part this played in the death of Ben.”

Discharging the jury, Mr Pojur said he was concerned it had been misled regarding evidence from the Scout Association’s national safety manager, Jess Kelly, about the action taken after Ben’s death in respect of the three Scout leaders – Sean Glaister, Gareth Williams and Mary Carr – who were on the trip.

In legal discussions about making a report for the prevention of future deaths, which took place once the jury had begun deliberations on Thursday afternoon, it emerged the leaders had been put on restricted duties after Ben’s death, although that had not been revealed to the jury.

He told jurors: “That means you haven’t had the full picture and you can’t assess the case and give a full conclusion in relation to this matter if you don’t have all the evidence.”

Mr Pojur issued a report to prevent future deaths, to be sent to the Scout Association, which listed 20 concerns.

A second inquest, where the chief executive of the Scout Association is expected be called to give evidence, is due to take place on July 13.