Teaching assistants appear in court charged with neglect over swimming pool incident

Two teaching assistants have appeared in court after a disabled student got into serious difficulty while swimming at a special school in Leicester.

18-year-old Sam Sebastian, who has severe physical and mental disabilities, spent more than four months in hospital after the incident at West Gate School last January.

Marilyn Smith, 61, from Lee Rise, Ratby, and Eileen Coull, 63, of Groby Road, Leicester, are both charged with ill-treatment and wilful neglect of a person without mental capacity.

The two women spoke only once to confirm their names and addresses during the brief hearing at Leicester Magistrates Court.

No pleas were entered and both were remanded on unconditional bail to appear at Leicester Crown Court on 3rd November.