Theme park faces prosecution over rollercoaster death » Communities » 24dash.com

A theme park faces prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) over the death of schoolgirl who plunged 100ft from a white knuckle ride.

Sunday school teacher Hayley Williams, 16, of Pontypool, west Wales, was ejected from the top of the spectacular Hydro ride as it began an almost vertical descent into a plunge pool.

It happened at Oakwood Theme Park, Narberth, west Wales, in April 2004 as horrified visitors looked on.

A spokesman for the HSE said today: "We can confirm that a decision has been made regarding the involvement of Oakwood Leisure limited in the incident in 2004 in which Hayley Williams died.

"The HSE has met with Oakwood Leisure limited and informed them that it is the intention of the HSE to prosecute them under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974."

A spokeswoman for the theme park said: "We have been given notification by the HSE that they intend to prosecute Oakwood under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 following the death of Hayley Williams at the Park in 2004.

"We will continue to co-operate fully. However, since their investigation is still ongoing, we cannot comment further on this matter at this time."

The spokesman for the HSE added: "The family of Hayley Williams have also been informed of this decision.

"Due to the legal processes linked with the ongoing investigation into other aspects of this matter, the HSE is unable to indicate when formal charges will be laid, when the summons will be served or when the matter will be brought to court.

"There can be no further comment on this matter from the HSE at this time."

Beverley Williams, Hayley's mother, stormed out of her daughter's inquest in Haverfordwest, west Wales, in May of last year when the coroner specifically ruled out unlawful killing as a possible verdict.

Pembrokeshire coroner Michael Howells said he had concluded that the evidence over the course of the four-day inquest did not support a view that death had been as a result of gross negligence.

As a result, he directed the jury that accidental death and a narrative verdict were the only conclusions available in the circumstances.

The jury returned a unanimous narrative verdict after two hours of deliberations.

An inconsolable Mrs Williams said: "What the hell is wrong with them? I don't believe it.

"It is not accidental death and it is not a narrative verdict, it is an unlawful killing."

Copyright Press Association 2007.

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