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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Sheriff calls for blind cord ban | Sheriff calls for blind cord ban |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A sheriff has warned that millions of homes across Britain with window blinds may contain a potentially lethal trap for young children. | A sheriff has warned that millions of homes across Britain with window blinds may contain a potentially lethal trap for young children. |
| In a written judgement into the death of Clackmannanshire toddler Muireann McLaughlin, Sheriff David Mackie called for a ban on looped blind cords. | In a written judgement into the death of Clackmannanshire toddler Muireann McLaughlin, Sheriff David Mackie called for a ban on looped blind cords. |
| The two-year-old girl died at her home in Menstrie after being strangled by a cord on 5 February last year. | The two-year-old girl died at her home in Menstrie after being strangled by a cord on 5 February last year. |
| The sheriff's judgement follows a fatal accident inquiry in March. | The sheriff's judgement follows a fatal accident inquiry in March. |
| Muireann was killed after climbing onto a toy box to wave goodbye to her grandmother from the upstairs window of her home. | Muireann was killed after climbing onto a toy box to wave goodbye to her grandmother from the upstairs window of her home. |
| The paradox of the situation in the UK is that the strangulation hazard from looped blind cords and the means of minimising that hazard have been known of for nearly 20 years. Sheriff David Mackie | The paradox of the situation in the UK is that the strangulation hazard from looped blind cords and the means of minimising that hazard have been known of for nearly 20 years. Sheriff David Mackie |
| The inquiry at Alloa Sheriff Court heard that she slipped and banged her head on the ledge, causing her neck to become tangled in the cord. | The inquiry at Alloa Sheriff Court heard that she slipped and banged her head on the ledge, causing her neck to become tangled in the cord. |
| Evidence from the inquiry suggested she may have died in as little as 20 seconds. | Evidence from the inquiry suggested she may have died in as little as 20 seconds. |
| In his findings, Sheriff Mackie detailed the desperate struggle by Muireann's father Angus McLaughlin, a radiographer trained in CPR, to revive his daughter. | In his findings, Sheriff Mackie detailed the desperate struggle by Muireann's father Angus McLaughlin, a radiographer trained in CPR, to revive his daughter. |
| Mr McLaughlin carried out chest compressions on Muireann for 45 minutes after finding her hanging from the cord. | Mr McLaughlin carried out chest compressions on Muireann for 45 minutes after finding her hanging from the cord. |
| Despite efforts by paramedics at Stirling Royal Infirmary, the toddler was declared dead half an hour after getting to hospital. | Despite efforts by paramedics at Stirling Royal Infirmary, the toddler was declared dead half an hour after getting to hospital. |
| Sheriff Mackie said the dangers associated with looped blind cords, which are linked with the death of at least one child a year in the UK, had been well-known in the US, Canada, Australia and Britain since the early 1990s. | Sheriff Mackie said the dangers associated with looped blind cords, which are linked with the death of at least one child a year in the UK, had been well-known in the US, Canada, Australia and Britain since the early 1990s. |
| He said: "The paradox of the situation in the UK is that the strangulation hazard from looped blind cords and the means of minimising that hazard have been known of for nearly 20 years." | He said: "The paradox of the situation in the UK is that the strangulation hazard from looped blind cords and the means of minimising that hazard have been known of for nearly 20 years." |
| 'Inherently unsafe' | 'Inherently unsafe' |
| He added that the shortcomings of regulation to ensure the safety of the product had been known since 2004. | He added that the shortcomings of regulation to ensure the safety of the product had been known since 2004. |
| Sheriff Mackie called for safety warnings to be attached to the blinds in future. | Sheriff Mackie called for safety warnings to be attached to the blinds in future. |
| He also said public awareness about the dangers they presented needed to be raised and that manufacturers should be made to take note of the strangulation risk their product presented to children. | He also said public awareness about the dangers they presented needed to be raised and that manufacturers should be made to take note of the strangulation risk their product presented to children. |
| READ THE RULING Sheriff David Mackie's findings [28KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here | READ THE RULING Sheriff David Mackie's findings [28KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here |
| He said: "The replacement of many thousands of existing blinds and blind cords will take decades. | He said: "The replacement of many thousands of existing blinds and blind cords will take decades. |
| "The need for public awareness is, therefore, paramount." | "The need for public awareness is, therefore, paramount." |
| The sheriff added: "If even some of the foregoing recommendations are followed, if public awareness is raised not least by the publicity which will be attendant upon publication of this determination and the loss of a young life can be avoided in this and future years, then the family of little Muireann will have the slight consolation that her untimely and tragic passing will not have been entirely in vain." | The sheriff added: "If even some of the foregoing recommendations are followed, if public awareness is raised not least by the publicity which will be attendant upon publication of this determination and the loss of a young life can be avoided in this and future years, then the family of little Muireann will have the slight consolation that her untimely and tragic passing will not have been entirely in vain." |
| Muireann's family have in the past called for manufacturers to replace a metal connector that binds the blind cord with a plastic one. | Muireann's family have in the past called for manufacturers to replace a metal connector that binds the blind cord with a plastic one. |
| During the inquiry, Mr McLaughlin said the change would have allowed the connector to give way under Muireann's body weight. | During the inquiry, Mr McLaughlin said the change would have allowed the connector to give way under Muireann's body weight. |
| He has also appealed to top retailers to stop selling the blinds, which were described during the inquiry as "inherently unsafe". | He has also appealed to top retailers to stop selling the blinds, which were described during the inquiry as "inherently unsafe". |
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