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Pontins in court over corporate manslaughter charge

BBC The exterior of Pontins Brean Sands, taken on a grey overcast day. It has a blue and yellow sign with a crocodile peering over the top, and there are two flag posts in the background. There is a small car park in front of the low single-story building. BBC
Eighteen people were injured when part of the roof collapsed at The Fun Factory

Two people have appeared in court for the first time in connection with the collapse of a roof at a Pontins holiday park.

Grandmother Wendy Jones, 68, died in August 2019 in hospital, where she had spent the final six months of her life after the ceiling collapse at the Brean Sands site in Somerset.

She was one of 18 people injured when a 40-metre section of structural ducting and ceiling fell inside The Fun Factory entertainment centre in February 2019.

Pontins' parent company, Britannia Jinky Jersey Ltd, has been charged with corporate manslaughter, while a former contractor has been charged under the health and safety at work act.

Family handout Wendy is wearing an animal-print top with a long gold necklace. She is sat in an armchair cuddling one baby and another child and is smiling up at the camera.Family handout
Mrs Jones, of Hereford, spent the final six months of her life in hospital after the incident

The charge alleges that Britannia Jinky Jersey Ltd "managed and organised its activities in such a way so as to cause the death of Wendy Jones", adding that Mrs Jones, of Hereford, was "exposed" to the "risk of death" from the collapse of ventilation ducting.

This risk, the charge states, was in "gross breach" of the company's duty to take "reasonable care for the safety" of Mrs Jones.

Stephen Bennison, 59, of Farington, Lancashire, was also charged with failing to discharge a duty of health and safety to the public.

The charge alleges that as a self-employed worker, Mr Bennison failed to "ensure so far as reasonably practical that members of the public - including Mrs Jones - were not exposed to health and safety risks".

Both defendants appeared at Bristol Magistrates' Court on Tuesday morning, with neither party entering a plea.

District Judge Lynne Matthews sent the case for trial at Bristol Crown Court, where they will next appear on June 9, with Mr Bennison granted unconditional bail.

The charges levelled at both defendants cover the time period between 1 January 2015 and 21 February 2019.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service confirmed at the time of the incident it had been called to reports of a section of ducting collapsing into the bar area of a building at the holiday park.

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