Manslaughter charge over girl’s banana boat death

 
Kiran Randhawa31 January 2013
WEST END FINAL

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A London water sports centre is to be charged with corporate manslaughter after an 11-year-old girl died when she was thrown off a “banana boat”.

Mari-Simon Cronje was at a friend’s birthday party when she was thrown off the 20ft inflatable and then hit by the speedboat towing it.

In addition, Prince’s Sporting Club in Bedfont, one of the largest water sports clubs in Europe, will face a health and safety charge. Director Glen Walker also faces a health and safety charge.

Mari-Simon and several other girls were being towed on the inflatable on one of the lakes at the club in September 2010. She suffered severe leg injuries and died at West Middlesex Hospital soon after the accident.

Elizabeth Joslin, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said today: “I have concluded there is sufficient evidence to charge the Prince’s Sporting Club Ltd with both corporate manslaughter and an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act. I have concluded that Glen Walker... should also be charged.” Mari-Simon attended the private £4,000-a-term Ibstock Place School in Roehampton and lived with her South African-born parents Andries and Ancia, and her brother Andre-Pierre, in a £1 million home in Putney.

Mr Walker and representatives for the company will appear at Westminster magistrates’ court on February 19.

In 2011 the Marine Accident Investigation Branch found that the boat driver had not seen Mari-Simon, and that her grey helmet was difficult to see in the water. Parents on the shore waved and shouted when they realised the boat was not slowing down but the driver did not see them, its report said.

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