Death of Durham University student Olivia Burt outside club was 'preventable', court hears

A student died outside a bar run by the UK’s biggest pub owners when an “unsuitable” decorative screen used to manage the queue fell and collapsed on her, a court has heard.

Olivia Burt was a first year student at Durham University when she died outside Missoula, in the city's Walkergate area, in February 2018.

The 20-year-old, originally from Hampshire, died of head injuries despite efforts to save her by her friends, door staff and paramedics.

Stonegate Pub Company, which owns the venue - now called The Slug and Lettuce - denies four health and safety charges.

Jurors at Teesside Crown Court heard Ms Burt had been waiting outside Missoula for a student night when a decorative fence gave way.

Footage captured from the scene at the time has been played to the court.

The jury was told the screens were being used wrongly to help control crowds queuing for a popular mid-week student night called Game Over.

The jury was told the decorative fencing had given way earlier that night too - needing four people to put two of its panels back in place.

Prosecution lawyer Jamie Hill KC described that earlier incident as a "missed opportunity" to prevent what followed.

Mr Hill said: “By re-erecting that barrier, and allowing the queuing to continue, we say they allowed the conditions leading to Olivia’s death to persist.”

Ms Burt and her friends arrived after the first screen collapse and were unaware it had happened.

Between 11.30pm and midnight, the venue was full and large numbers of people were waiting to get in, Mr Hill said.

“Part of the queue was lined up next to the decorative screen, and some students were leaning against it.

“There was a holding area for others arriving, but those numbers were continuing to grow.”

At 11:48pm, the decorative screen gave way again, the court heard.

Mr Hill said: “Olivia fell through the panels, the screen went over, others fell and tragically Olivia died despite the attempts of initially students, door staff and then paramedics, nothing could be done.

“She had suffered a devastating head injury.”

He said: “The prosecution says the fatal accident was foreseeable, predictable and preventable.”

He told the jury the company had failed in its duty to ensure the safety of Ms Burt and other customers, failed to properly assess the risks, used inappropriate equipment and ignored the warning signs of danger.

The trial, which is expected to last up to three weeks, continues.

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