Scout chiefs ‘misled jury’ at inquest into camping trip death
AN inquest into the death of a young Scout leader could be reopened amid claims the Scout Association misled the jury at the original inquiry.
The case of Jack Saunders, 21, who was found dead at Waddecar Scout Activity Camp near Preston in April 2017, is likely to heap further pressure on the organisation.
The Scout Association is facing the prospect of prosecution after being reported to police over its flawed handling of the death of another scout, Ben Leonard, 16, who fell 200ft from a cliff during an expedition in North Wales in 2018.
Last month, a jury found two scout leaders responsible for the unlawful killing of Ben, whose death was contributed to by neglect by the institution.
Now it has emerged evidence uncovered at Ben’s inquest suggested the Scout Association had failed to disclose a crucial internal report to Jack’s inquest in January 2020. The court heard a fatal accident inquiry panel report, produced by the Scout Association ahead of the inquest, may never have been shared with the coroner.
Yesterday Dr James Adeley, senior coroner for Preston, told the Mail he is considering reopening the case and has been in touch with Jack’s parents.
‘I have not made any decisions yet, but I can confirm I am reconsidering Jack’s case on the back of what happened at Ben Leonard’s inquest,’ he said.
‘After the Scout Association began giving evidence, it became apparent that documents they produced following Jack’s death may have been relevant for Ben’s case. I was asked to send over all our documentation in relation to Jack’s death, which I did. It is unclear whether this report was ever put before the coroner or the jury at Jack’s original inquest.’
Jack, who had autism and dyslexia, travelled from his home in Solihull, Birmingham, to Waddecar camp as part of a recce for securing his ‘night away’ permit, so he could take children on overnight trips. He set up his tent in secluded woodland on March 29, 2017, but his body wasn’t discovered until five days later by a member of staff.
A jury found he died of carbon monoxide poisoning after using a camping stove inside his tent, a practice he had seen at previous camps but had received no training about the dangers of.
Jill Greenfield, the solicitor who represented Ben’s family, said there is ‘no doubt’ that the coroner in Jack’s case did not have key reports when his inquest took place.
She added: ‘The suggestion at the time was that the Scout Association guidance was it was OK to have a heater or stove inside a tent, so long as the door to the tent was open, but that was wrong.’
A spokesman for the Scout Association said it ‘will cooperate fully with the coroner in whatever course of action he decides to take’.