Scout leaders lied to family of dead teenager and did not carry out risk assessments, inquest hears

Leaders lied to the parents of a scout who fell from a cliff to minimise the organisation's "reputational damage" after failing to properly risk assess, an inquest has heard.

Ben Leonard, 16, from Stockport, Greater Manchester, was on a trip with the Reddish Explorer Scouts when he suffered a serious head injury, falling 200 feet to his death on the Great Orme in North Wales.

Brian Garraway, group scout leader, though not on the trip, told the inquest into Ben’s death at Manchester Civil Justice Centre, that he did carry out “effectively” the same process as a risk assessment but these were done verbally during meetings with other scout leaders.

Mr Garraway, who was also the training advisor for the Greater Manchester East, county association, said: “I genuinely believe risk assessments were being undertaken on every activity, even if they were not written down."

Steve Holloway, who was the Scouts' county commissioner for Greater Manchester East, agreed he felt "shame" about his involvement following the boy's death and knew things had gone "horribly wrong".

The inquest heard suggestions the “approach” taken by the Scouts was to blame the boy for the tragedy amid worries over “reputational damage” to the organisation.

Bernard Richmond KC, representing the Leonard family, asked Mr Holloway: “You knew at the time that there were huge problems, didn’t you?

"You knew that there hadn’t been a risk assessment? You knew that there hadn’t been proper documentation? That there was no first aider?”

“Yes,” Mr Holloway replied.

Mr Holloway, who was not on the trip, denied ever telling Ben’s family “people who try and take on the Scouts are never successful” and that “no one can touch the Scouts”.

Mr Holloway agreed he told others responsible for safety in the Scouts Association “don’t worry, they are not going to sue”.

But he said it was not “my place” to tell the family the truth about problems with the trip.

Mr Richmond continued: “So you were deliberately lying to Ben’s parents? And you were there as a representative of the Scouts?”

“Yes, ” Mr Holloway replied.

From they "very outset" the witness agreed that the Scouts were more concerned about reputational damage and encouraged the view that Scouts leaders were not to blame.

Mr Richmond added: “Are you proud of the Scouts?”

“No,” Mr Holloway said.

Jackie Leonard, the boy’s mother, tearfully told the hearing her family’s treatment by the Scouts was “disgusting” with initial suggestions the teenager was “wild” and his death his own fault.

Two previous inquests were scheduled and aborted until the current hearing – where the Scouts for the first time admitted responsibility and apologised for failings – some five-and-a-half years after Ben’s death.

The Scouts now admit there was a lack of a risk assessment, lack of appropriate supervision and a lack of instructions on the trip that allowed Ben and two other youngsters to venture out alone into a dangerous environment.