A senior judge has refused to overturn a inquest ruling that a teenager from Reddish was unlawfully killed when on a Scout trip to the Great Orme in North Wales
Benjamin Leonard died of head injuries on 26th August 2018, sustained from a fall from the Great Orem in Llandudno, North Wales.
Ben died shortly after falling. At the time of his death, he had recently completed his GCSEs and planned to attend college to pursue his ambition of becoming a scriptwriter. Ben had been on a trip with the Reddish Explorer Scout Association at the time of the fall from the Great Orme.
After an eight week inquest, the jury returned a unanimous conclusion of Unlawful Killing by the Scout Leader and Assistant Scout Leader, contributed to by Neglect of the Scout Association.
The Scout Association was also referred to the police by the coroner for investigation of Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice.
A further and lengthy Prevention of Future Death Report was also written by the coroner, alongside letters to the relevant Secretaries of State, in order to convey a request by the Leonard family, that a Public Inquiry be undertaken into the Scout Association and its approach to the safety of children
Now Mr Justice Fordham has ruled on Thursday that the coroner Mr Pojur had directed the jury fairly and correctly and rejected the appeal to review the inquest findings.
