Shoreham Airshow crash pilot's bid to fly again turned down
A decade after 11 men were killed in one of the worst airshow disasters in the UK their families say they can "finally have peace" knowing the pilot will never fly again.Andy Hill, the pilot of the Hawker Hunter plane that crashed at Shoreham Airshow in 2015, has had a final legal challenge to get his licence reinstated turned down at the High Court in London. A coroner blamed Mr Hill for the crash which killed the men at an inquest in 2022 after an Old Bailey jury cleared him of manslaughter in 2019.Mr Hill appealed against the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) decision not to restore his flying licence.
He had been performing a manoeuvre in the vintage aircraft when it crashed into the A27 in West Sussex in August 2015.The CAA's decision not to let him fly again was upheld following a two-day hearing last year.For a second time, the pilot started the process of applying for a Judicial Review of the CAA refusal.Families of the men who died were told on Friday the application had been turned down.
Caroline and Bob Schilt, who lost their son Jacob in the disaster, said they were "greatly relieved" by the decision.They said: "It seems to us that justice has finally been served by the refusal to renew his licence."It has taken 10 years to finally bring peace to the 11 families whose lives were torn apart by this avoidable tragedy."Anthony Mallinson lost his father, retired engineer James Graham Mallinson, in the crash.He said: "This will hopefully now enable us after nearly 10 years to finally be able to grieve for all of our loved ones in peace and we would now ask Mr Hill to fully respect that."
Phil Grimstone, who lost his son Matthew, said: "Obviously we are relieved and hope that will now be the end of this."We believe that there is nothing to stop Mr Hill applying for a flying licence in another country."Given the reasons the CAA gave for rejecting his licences here we hope that he is never allowed."The CAA said it understood that Mr Hill's application for judicial review was refused.A spokesperson for the Judicial Office confirmed this to the BBC, saying Mr Justice Fordham had refused permission for the review.They added: "The claimant has not renewed for an oral reconsideration hearing, so the matter has been closed."
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