Latest news with #TheScoutAssociation
The Independent
30-01-2025
- The Independent
Judge rejects Scout leaders' bid to overturn unlawful killing verdict
A senior judge has rejected an attempt to overturn an inquest verdict of unlawful killing on a teenager who died while on a Scout trip. Ben Leonard, 16, suffered a serious head injury when he fell about 200ft at Great Orme in Llandudno, North Wales. He died while on a trip with the Reddish Explorer Scouts from Stockport, Greater Manchester, on August 26 2018. Ben and two friends took a different path from other Scouts, unsupervised by any Scout leaders, who had 'lost' the trio on the Orme. Ben ended up on a 50cm ledge, which was an animal track, when he lost his footing, slipped and fell to his death. Following a two-month inquest last year at Manchester Civil Courts of Justice, a jury found Ben was unlawfully killed by the most senior Scout leader on the trip, and an assistant Scout leader, and this was contributed to by neglect by The Scout Association. The law prevents inquest juries from naming any individual in conclusions. During the inquest, the Scout leader on the trip, Sean Glaister, declined to answer a series of questions from Ben Richmond KC, lawyer for Fieldfisher, the law firm representing Ben's family. Mary Carr was named as the assistant Scout leader on the trip. David Pojur, assistant coroner for North Wales east and central, referred The Scout Association and an employee, who cannot be named by court order, to North Wales Police to investigate for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. We are just relieved it is now over and the judicial review failed. We need to try to move forward now but with Ben in our hearts always Ben's mother, Jackie Leonard But after the inquest, Mr Glaister and Ms Carr applied for a judicial review of the inquest findings of unlawful killing, heard at the High Court in Manchester in December. On Thursday, Mr Justice Fordham ruled the coroner Mr Pojur had directed the jury fairly and correctly and rejected the appeal to review the inquest findings. Ben's mother, Jackie Leonard said: 'We are just relieved it is now over and the judicial review failed. We need to try to move forward now but with Ben in our hearts always.' At the beginning of the inquest last year, the third after two previous inquests were aborted, The Scout Association for the first time publicly apologised and accepted responsibility for Ben's death. The inquest also heard Ben's family were lied to as The Scout Association was worried about 'reputational damage', and Ben's family were told, 'people who try and take on the Scouts are never successful' and that 'no-one can touch the Scouts'. Around 500,000 young people and 145,000 adult volunteers take part in Scouting projects and activities each week, according to the association's own figures.
BBC News
30-01-2025
- BBC News
Ben Leonard: Scout leader bid to overturn unlawful killing verdict rejected
A senior judge has rejected an attempt to overturn an inquest verdict of unlawful killing on a teenager who died while on a Scouts Leonard, 16, died when he fell 200ft (60m) at Great Orme in Llandudno, North Wales while on a trip with the Reddish Explorer Scouts from Stockport, Greater Manchester, on 26 August trip's leader and his assistant, who were found responsible for unlawful killing at a jury inquest, have lost their High Court challenge against the mother, Jackie Leonard said his family "are just relieved it is now over and the judicial review failed". Ben and two friends took a different path from other Scouts, unsupervised by any leaders, who had "lost" the trio on the ended up on a 50cm (19 inch) ledge, which was an animal track, when he lost his footing, slipped and fell to his year a jury found Ben was unlawfully killed by the most senior Scout leader on the trip, and his assistant, and this was contributed to by neglect by The Scout Association, after a two-month inquest at Manchester Civil Courts of Justice. 'Reputational damage' During the inquest, the Scout leader on the trip, Sean Glaister, declined to answer a series of questions from Ben Richmond KC, representing Ben's family. Mary Carr was named as the assistant Scout leader on the Pojur, assistant coroner for North Wales east and central, referred The Scout Association and an employee, who cannot be named by court order, to North Wales Police to investigate for conspiracy to pervert the course of after the inquest, Mr Glaister and Ms Carr applied for a judicial review of the inquest findings of unlawful killing, heard at the High Court in Manchester in Justice Fordham ruled earlier that the coroner Mr Pojur had directed the jury fairly and correctly and rejected the appeal to review the inquest mother, Jackie Leonard said: "We need to try to move forward now but with Ben in our hearts always."At the beginning of the inquest last year, the third after two previous inquests were halted, The Scout Association for the first time publicly apologised and accepted responsibility for Ben's inquest also heard Ben's family were lied to as The Scout Association was worried about "reputational damage", and Ben's family were told, "people who try and take on the Scouts are never successful" and that "no-one can touch the Scouts".About 500,000 young people and 145,000 adult volunteers take part in Scouting projects and activities each week, according to the association's own figures. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Yahoo
Judge rejects Scout leaders' bid to overturn unlawful killing verdict
A senior judge has rejected an attempt to overturn an inquest verdict of unlawful killing on a teenager who died while on a Scout trip. Ben Leonard, 16, suffered a serious head injury when he fell about 200ft at Great Orme in Llandudno, North Wales. He died while on a trip with the Reddish Explorer Scouts from Stockport, Greater Manchester, on August 26 2018. Ben and two friends took a different path from other Scouts, unsupervised by any Scout leaders, who had 'lost' the trio on the Orme. Ben ended up on a 50cm ledge, which was an animal track, when he lost his footing, slipped and fell to his death. Following a two-month inquest last year at Manchester Civil Courts of Justice, a jury found Ben was unlawfully killed by the most senior Scout leader on the trip, and an assistant Scout leader, and this was contributed to by neglect by The Scout Association. The law prevents inquest juries from naming any individual in conclusions. During the inquest, the Scout leader on the trip, Sean Glaister, declined to answer a series of questions from Ben Richmond KC, lawyer for Fieldfisher, the law firm representing Ben's family. Mary Carr was named as the assistant Scout leader on the trip. David Pojur, assistant coroner for North Wales east and central, referred The Scout Association and an employee, who cannot be named by court order, to North Wales Police to investigate for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. But after the inquest, Mr Glaister and Ms Carr applied for a judicial review of the inquest findings of unlawful killing, heard at the High Court in Manchester in December. On Thursday, Mr Justice Fordham ruled the coroner Mr Pojur had directed the jury fairly and correctly and rejected the appeal to review the inquest findings. Ben's mother, Jackie Leonard said: 'We are just relieved it is now over and the judicial review failed. We need to try to move forward now but with Ben in our hearts always.' At the beginning of the inquest last year, the third after two previous inquests were aborted, The Scout Association for the first time publicly apologised and accepted responsibility for Ben's death. The inquest also heard Ben's family were lied to as The Scout Association was worried about 'reputational damage', and Ben's family were told, 'people who try and take on the Scouts are never successful' and that 'no-one can touch the Scouts'. Around 500,000 young people and 145,000 adult volunteers take part in Scouting projects and activities each week, according to the association's own figures.
