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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Council fined over railings death | Council fined over railings death |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A city council has been ordered to pay £100,000 in fines and costs following the death of a 12-year-old girl who was crushed by railings at a city park. | A city council has been ordered to pay £100,000 in fines and costs following the death of a 12-year-old girl who was crushed by railings at a city park. |
| Derby City Council was fined for breaking health and safety regulations at Derby Crown Court on Friday. | Derby City Council was fined for breaking health and safety regulations at Derby Crown Court on Friday. |
| Vicci Thomas suffered head injuries when iron railings at Osmaston Park fell on top of her in 2003. | Vicci Thomas suffered head injuries when iron railings at Osmaston Park fell on top of her in 2003. |
| An inquest ruled the death was accidental but poor maintenance by Derby City Council played a part. | An inquest ruled the death was accidental but poor maintenance by Derby City Council played a part. |
| 'Rotten ironwork' | 'Rotten ironwork' |
| Since the accident, the city council has removed the railings in the park and replaced them with smaller fencing. | Since the accident, the city council has removed the railings in the park and replaced them with smaller fencing. |
| The council was fined £42,000 and ordered to pay £58,000 in costs. | The council was fined £42,000 and ordered to pay £58,000 in costs. |
| In a statement released after the hearing, the council said it "deeply regretted" the accident and sent its condolences to Vicci's family. | |
| "We accept it was reasonable for us to have had the routine examinations in place, which was our reason for pleading guilty. | |
| "We have been doing that since May 2003. However, to our knowledge, no other local authority inspected park boundaries at that time." | |
| The council said it was considering legal advice to appeal against the level of penalty it received. | |
| Vicci was playing on the railings with some friends when two sections collapsed on her. | Vicci was playing on the railings with some friends when two sections collapsed on her. |
| The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the death and said the city council had failed to properly maintain the railings. | The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the death and said the city council had failed to properly maintain the railings. |
| The supports were weathered and the ironwork was rotten, the HSE report said. | The supports were weathered and the ironwork was rotten, the HSE report said. |
| The city council pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to ensure the health and safety of the public. | The city council pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to ensure the health and safety of the public. |
| Vicci's family said after the hearing that it was "a shame" that it took her death for lessons to be learned. | Vicci's family said after the hearing that it was "a shame" that it took her death for lessons to be learned. |