Assistants admit failing to care for disabled teen

Two teaching assistants have pleaded guilty to failing to take care of a disabled teenager who got into difficulty while swimming.

Marilyn Smith and Eileen Coull have been suspended from West Gate School in Leicester where 18-year-old Sam Sebastian was a pupil.

Sebastian, who suffers from severe mental and physical disabilities, spent more than four months in hospital and suffered a cardiac arrest following the incident.

Smith and Coull pleaded guilty to failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of another person at Leicester Crown Court today.

The court was told changes have since been made at the school and the judge said he wanted to know what measures had been put in place before they are sentenced next week.