Pontins court case over Brean Sands corporate manslaughter charge pushed back

18 people were injured at the Brean Sands site in February 2019 when a 40-metre section of structural ducting and ceiling fell inside an entertainment area.

Grandmother Wendy Jones, 68, was among six people taken to hospital following the incident. She died in August 2019.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service confirmed at the time it had been called to reports of a section of ducting collapsing into the bar area of a building at the holiday park.

It said approximately 40 metres of structural ducting and ceiling sections had fallen, exposing live damaged electrics.

Pontins' parent company, Britannia Jinky Jersey Ltd, has been charged with corporate manslaughter, while a former contractor has been charged under the health and safety at work act.

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The charge alleges that Britannia Jinky Jersey Ltd "managed and organised its activities in such a way so as to cause the death of Wendy Jones", adding that Mrs Jones, of Hereford, was "exposed" to the "risk of death" from the collapse of ventilation ducting.

This risk, the charge states, was in "gross breach" of the company's duty to take "reasonable care for the safety" of Mrs Jones.

Stephen Bennison, 59, of Farington, Lancashire, was also charged with failing to discharge a duty of health and safety to the public.

The charge alleges that as a self-employed worker, Mr Bennison failed to "ensure so far as reasonably practical that members of the public - including Mrs Jones - were not exposed to health and safety risks".

Both defendants appeared at Bristol Magistrates' Court on Tuesday morning, with neither party entering a plea.

The case has now been sent for trial at Bristol Crown Court next month, with Mr Bennison granted unconditional bail.