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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/may/09/bouncy-castle-death-couple-convicted-of-manslaughter
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Bouncy castle death: couple convicted of manslaughter | Bouncy castle death: couple convicted of manslaughter |
| (2 months later) | |
| Two fairground workers have been found guilty of the manslaughter by gross negligence of a seven-year-old girl who died after a bouncy castle blew away with her inside it. | Two fairground workers have been found guilty of the manslaughter by gross negligence of a seven-year-old girl who died after a bouncy castle blew away with her inside it. |
| Summer Grant, from Norwich, died in hospital after she was rescued from the inflatable, which was sent “cartwheeling” almost 280 metres down a hill by a gust of wind in Harlow, Essex, in March 2016. | Summer Grant, from Norwich, died in hospital after she was rescued from the inflatable, which was sent “cartwheeling” almost 280 metres down a hill by a gust of wind in Harlow, Essex, in March 2016. |
| On Wednesday, a jury at Chelmsford crown court found William and Shelby Thurston, guilty by majority verdicts of 10 to two after more than 11 hours of deliberations. | On Wednesday, a jury at Chelmsford crown court found William and Shelby Thurston, guilty by majority verdicts of 10 to two after more than 11 hours of deliberations. |
| Prosecutors had told the jury the couple failed to ensure that the bouncy castle was adequately anchored to the ground and did not monitor weather conditions to ensure it was safe to use. | Prosecutors had told the jury the couple failed to ensure that the bouncy castle was adequately anchored to the ground and did not monitor weather conditions to ensure it was safe to use. |
| The judge, Mr Justice Garnham, delaying sentencing until a later date, said he would be “seriously considering imprisonment”. | The judge, Mr Justice Garnham, delaying sentencing until a later date, said he would be “seriously considering imprisonment”. |
| The Thurstons, from Wilburton, near Ely, Cambridgeshire, were also found guilty of a health and safety offence in relation to the incident at the summer fair on 26 March 2016. | The Thurstons, from Wilburton, near Ely, Cambridgeshire, were also found guilty of a health and safety offence in relation to the incident at the summer fair on 26 March 2016. |
| The couple had denied both of the charges against them, telling the court that they had not thought winds were so strong that the inflatable was capable of blowing away. | The couple had denied both of the charges against them, telling the court that they had not thought winds were so strong that the inflatable was capable of blowing away. |
| William Thurston, 29, who admitted he felt a “sense of responsibility” for Summer’s death said he had been aware that Storm Katie was forecast to arrive two days later but thought this was “not hugely significant”. | William Thurston, 29, who admitted he felt a “sense of responsibility” for Summer’s death said he had been aware that Storm Katie was forecast to arrive two days later but thought this was “not hugely significant”. |
| He agreed, in hindsight, that the funfair did not have a proper system for gauging wind speeds, saying nobody had previously suggested to him that he buy an anemometer. | He agreed, in hindsight, that the funfair did not have a proper system for gauging wind speeds, saying nobody had previously suggested to him that he buy an anemometer. |
| His wife said she “beat herself up” about the incident every day but insisted it was not foreseeable. | His wife said she “beat herself up” about the incident every day but insisted it was not foreseeable. |
| Witnesses told the court it had been raining and windy on the day of the incident. | Witnesses told the court it had been raining and windy on the day of the incident. |
| A yellow weather wind warning was in place that day for the area covering the park and wind speeds and gusts increased throughout the day, reaching between 35mph and 45mph during the late afternoon. | A yellow weather wind warning was in place that day for the area covering the park and wind speeds and gusts increased throughout the day, reaching between 35mph and 45mph during the late afternoon. |
| Summer’s father, Lee Grant, told the court he turned to see the bouncy castle in the air after he heard a scream, and said “my daughter’s in there”. | Summer’s father, Lee Grant, told the court he turned to see the bouncy castle in the air after he heard a scream, and said “my daughter’s in there”. |
| He gave chase but could not catch the inflatable, which witnesses described as “cartwheeling in the air, cartwheeling down a hill and only stopping when it hit a fence”. | He gave chase but could not catch the inflatable, which witnesses described as “cartwheeling in the air, cartwheeling down a hill and only stopping when it hit a fence”. |
| Relatives of the defendants sobbed as the verdicts were read out. Shelby Thurston, 26, left the courtroom in tears, while her husband cried as he hugged a family member. Summer’s mother, Cara Blackie, appeared tearful as she left the courtroom before the hearing had finished. | Relatives of the defendants sobbed as the verdicts were read out. Shelby Thurston, 26, left the courtroom in tears, while her husband cried as he hugged a family member. Summer’s mother, Cara Blackie, appeared tearful as she left the courtroom before the hearing had finished. |
| The senior investigating officer, DCI Daniel Stoten, of the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate, said: “Summer Grant was a seven-year-old girl who lost her life in the most tragic of circumstances. The inflatable should never have been in use in those weather conditions and the operators should never have allowed Summer to play on it.“The Thurstons held a huge responsibility to ensure the safety of the children that used their rides. They treated this responsibility with total disregard, putting profit before safety.“I welcome the convictions in this case, however this is a tragedy for everyone involved.” | The senior investigating officer, DCI Daniel Stoten, of the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate, said: “Summer Grant was a seven-year-old girl who lost her life in the most tragic of circumstances. The inflatable should never have been in use in those weather conditions and the operators should never have allowed Summer to play on it.“The Thurstons held a huge responsibility to ensure the safety of the children that used their rides. They treated this responsibility with total disregard, putting profit before safety.“I welcome the convictions in this case, however this is a tragedy for everyone involved.” |
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