Latest news with #HillcrestPrimary
BBC News
4 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Australia: Bouncy castle operator cleared in tragedy that killed six children
An Australian bouncy castle operator at the centre of a tragedy in 2021 that killed six children and seriously injured three has been cleared of breaching safety laws.A court found Rosemary Anne Gamble, who runs the business Taz-Zorb, not guilty, ruling that the incident was "due to an unprecedented weather system" that was "impossible to predict".The victims, who were on a bouncy castle at a primary school fun day in Devonport, Tasmania, fell about 10m (33ft) after strong winds blew the castle skywards at a school verdict on Friday caused anguish among their families, with some crying out in court in disbelief, ABC News reported. Prosecutors had accused Ms Gamble of failing to anchor the castle adequately, but her defence argued she could not have done more to eliminate or reduce hazards that led to the Robert Webster agreed with the defence and found that the incident happened due to a dust devil - an upward spiralling vortex of air and debris - that was "unforeseen and unforeseeable"."Ms Gamble could have done more or taken further steps, however, given the effects of the unforeseen and unforeseeable dust devil, had she done so, that would sadly have made no difference to the ultimate outcome," the magistrate six children killed in the accident - Addison Stewart, Zane Mellor, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Peter Dodt and Chace Harrison - were aged between 11 and were all at a Hillcrest Primary School fair when the accident took place on the last day of term before the school holidays in December of the children were on the castle when the gales swept it up and flung it across the school oval. The sixth child, who was waiting in line, died after being struck in the head by the inflatable tragic accident shattered Devonport, a city on the north coast of Tasmania with some 30,000 Gamble was charged nearly two years after, in November 2023. Andrew Dodt, the father of one of the young victims Peter, said after Friday's verdict that "our hopes are just shattered now"."At the end of the day all I wanted was an apology for my son not coming home, and I'm never going to get it, and that kills me," he said in a statement to local media."I've been broken for a long time, and I think I'm going to be broken for a lot more."Ms Gamble's lawyer Bethan Frake spoke on her behalf, acknowledging that the incident has caused "scars that will remain for an extremely long time, likely forever"."I am a mother," she said, quoting Ms Gamble. "I can only imagine the pain that other parents are living with each and every day because of this terrible thing that happened.""Their loss is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life."
ABC News
4 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Verdict in Hillcrest jumping castle tragedy criminal case
Six students died and three others were seriously injured in December 2021 when a jumping castle became airborne at Tasmania's Hillcrest Primary School. Magistrate Robert Webster is handing down his decision today in the case against Rosemary Anne Gamble, who is charged with failing in her work health and safety duty over the tragedy.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Judgment looms after kids killed in Hillcrest jumping castle tragedy
Families of six children killed when a jumping castle installed at their school was lifted into the air in a freak wind gust will today learn if the ride operator will be held responsible for their years-long nightmare. On December 16, 2021, children at Hillcrest Primary School, in Devonport, Tasmania were celebrating the end of the school year. The school had hired a jumping castle and zorb-balls from a company called Taz-zorb. As they played on the equipment, a freak gust of wind, described as a 'mini tornado', hit the school's oval. The jumping castle and zorb-balls flew into the air, with some witness reports saying they travelled as high as 10 metres. Chace Harrison, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Zane Mellor, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan and Peter Dodt tragically lost their lives. The sole operator of Taz-zorb, Rosemary Gamble, has pleaded not guilty to a failure to comply with health and safety duty. A crowd of those impacted by the tragedy is expected to gather at the Devonport Magistrates Court on Friday as judgment on the case is handed down after a lengthy hearing and protracted investigations.
