The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Hotel drowning inquiry hears manager ‘100% satisfied’ with health and safety
Sheriff told of events leading up to death of popular pensioner
The manager of a Dundee hotel leisure club where a Newport pensioner drowned has told a fatal accident inquiry she was “100% satisfied” with its health and safety measures.
Jennifer Newcombe pulled Michael McDonald from the bottom of the pool at Livingwell Health Club – part of the now-demolished Hilton Hotel in Earl Grey Place – after fellow member William Tanner spotted him motionless in the water.
The inquiry heard previously that despite the resuscitation efforts of Mrs Newcombe, 37, and a colleague, Mr McDonald died in hospital later that day.
Mrs Newcombe was giving evidence on the final day of the inquiry looking at the circumstances surrounding the 73-year-old’s death in November 2011.
She said that thorough risk assessments had been carried out on the pool, which was fully visible from the club’s reception desk and could be reached “in seconds” from anywhere in the hotel.
She described Mr McDonald as a well-liked “regular” who she saw “five days a week for seven years”.
She added: “Sadly, his health had started to deteriorate, in our eyes – there were notable changes. We were aware he was suffering from Parkinson’s.”
On the day of the accident, Mrs Newcombe said Mr McDonald briefly went to the gym, which he had not done for some time, before entering the pool.
She said: “The way I was positioned, he was in my eyesight. I wasn’t constantly watching him, but I was aware.”
She told depute fiscal Gavin Callaghan she became aware something was wrong “within a couple of minutes.”
She said: “Billy Tanner came in from the gym and said, “Is Michael OK?”. I then saw him at the bottom of the pool.”
Mrs Newcombe said after Mr McDonald was pulled from the water there were “no signs” of breathing but after performing mouth-to-mouth, his “colour came back” and there were signs of life.
Barry Smith QC, representing Hilton Hotels, said: “Mr McDonald was a wellknown older man with health difficulties who you looked out for?”
Mrs Newcombe replied: “We all did,” adding that she and her staff were “very much” affected by his death.
Mr Smith said: “If you had any concerns over the safety of the pool, would you have drawn it to the attention of Hilton?”
“Yes,” she replied. “I was 100% satisfied with what we had in place.”
Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC is expected to publish her determination next month.