Supajump Cardiff: Trampoline park owner sentenced after children break limbs at attraction

The owner of a trampoline park who showed a "total disregard" for health and safety legislation when a number of children broke limbs at the attraction has been sentenced.

It comes after a number of children were injured while jumping on trampoline and foam pits at Supajump in Cardiff between April 2018 and August 2019.

A boy and girl, both three, and two more girls, nine and 11, were all hurt in the incidents.

Philip Booth, 61, pleaded guilty to four counts of failing to report an accident and two counts of failing to ensure people were not exposed to health and safety risks from using play equipment in September last year.

He was told by a judge he put "profit before safety" when he failed to report the injuries

The Supajump park is based at Trident Trade Park in Cardiff Credit: Google Maps

Prosecutor Carl Harrison said eight youngsters suffered injuries while jumping on trampolines and into foam pits at Supajump in Cardiff Bay after Booth opened the park before safety checks had taken place.

The incidents involved one child who became trapped between an underinflated airbag, one child fractured their leg while on a trampoline, and another sustained "serious leg and spinal fractures" whilst using the foam pit.

Following a hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, Philip Booth, 61, was sentenced to 10 months in prison suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to pay £10,000 in costs as well as a £10,000 fine.

Philip Booth was told at an earlier hearing that the offences were too serious and he had to be referred to crown court Credit: Wales News Service

Mr Booth is the sole director of Supajump Ltd, which runs the leisure facility Supajump on Ocean Way.

The court heard that Shared Regulatory Services visited Supajump after it opened at Easter in 2017 to investigate reports that the standard of equipment being installed at the leisure facility was not compliant with legislation.

Mr Booth was advised to independently assess equipment before the facility was opened and more risk assessments needed to be carried out.

Mr Booth failed to comply with six recommendations and failed to report the childrens' injuries.

At an earlier hearing at Cardiff Magistrates' Court, Booth was told by a district judge: “You clearly and blatantly disregarded the law, disregarded the advice you were given by the council, and all these injuries occurred, none of which were reported, some of which there was an effort on staff’s part to minimise them by telling people to cross things out on forms that were handed in about what happened."

Cllr Dan De’Ath from the council said: "Children were put at risk and injured. The incidents that occurred show a total disregard by both Mr Booth and his business for the legislation that is in place.

"As the business is still operating, council officers will continue to monitor any further complaints or concerns that we receive and if necessary, will take further legal action against this business. The immediate custodial sentence should send a clear message that the court takes health and safety offences very seriously.”