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Ben Leonard: We will learn from boy's death, scout boss says

Family photo Ben LeonardFamily photo
Ben Leonard died while on a Scouts trip in north Wales in 2018

The Scouts' boss has said he wants to be able to look the parents of a killed boy in the eyes and ensure them the tragedy will not be repeated.

Ben Leonard, 16, from Stockport in Greater Manchester fell from cliffs in Llandudno, Conwy, in August 2018.

Matt Hyde, chief executive of The Scout Association, has told the inquest into his death that lessons will be learned.

The organisation has already told the Manchester inquest that it accepts responsibility for the boy's death.

The family's barrister, Bernard Richmond KC, asked Mr Hyde whether he had considered his own position as a result of investigation and inquest evidence.

"This whole chapter has been awful - and awful for the Leonard family and I've done a lot of searching over the intervening period," Mr Hyde told the jury.

Scouts/YouTube/PA matt hyde scout leaderScouts/YouTube/PA
Matt Hyde was appointed chief executive of The Scout Association in 2013

Mr Hyde said: "I met the Leonard family in November 2021 and I gave them my word that I would do everything in my power to ensure that lessons were learned and that we would act on those lessons.

"To do everything and my utmost to ensure that I could look them - or any other parent - in the eye, such that nothing like this happens again."

He added that said he was "confident" he had done that, adding: "I intend to see that through.

"We have a duty of care - we have to give people confidence, parents confidence, young people confidence.

"I have taken that responsibility incredibly seriously in the time I have held this post - incredibly seriously."

Great Orme in Llandudno
Ben died after falling 200ft from a cliff on the Great Orme, Llandudno

During the inquest, which started at the beginning of January, the jury has heard there were a series of failings that led to the death of the Explorer Scout.

He was taking part in a trip to the Eryri national park to camp, with plans to hike up Yr Wyddfa - also known as Snowdon.

However, plans were changed due to the weather, and the scout group were taken to Llandudno in Conwy county borough, to walk up the Great Orme headland.

The inquest has heard how Ben and two other scouts fell behind and took their own route up the hillside unaccompanied by adult Scout leaders.

It was there the teenager attempted to find his own way back down, only to slip on a cliff edge, falling 200ft (60m) onto the road below.

The hearing is continuing.