Pupil relives moment school wall collapsed

A teenager has described how she was leaning against a wall while “having a laugh” moments before it fell and killed one of her classmates at Liberton High School.

The girl was giving evidence at Edinburgh Sheriff Court as a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) into the death of Keane Wallisbennett progressed through its second week.

Keane, 12, died on 1 April 2014 after a freestanding “modesty” wall fell on top of her in the girls’ changing room of Liberton High’s old PE block.

Her former classmate, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in court via video link to give evidence about the moments leading up to Keane’s death.

Questioned by Gavin Anderson, the advocate representing Keane’s parents, the teenager explained she had been leaning against the modesty wall with a friend shortly before it fell.

She described having her back against the modesty wall and her feet above the ground on the opposite shower wall.

She said: “We were sort of mucking about, having a laugh.”

The girl said they only had their feet up against the shower wall for “a couple of seconds”, adding: “I can’t remember what happened after because all I remember was the wall falling back.”

The inquiry continues.