Smiler accident: Alton Towers admits health and safety breach over injuries to 16 people

Jason Collie22 April 2016

Alton Towers operator Merlin admitted breach health and safety law over the Smiler rollercoaster crash in June last year that left five people seriously injured.

Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd had previously accepted responsibility for the crash after carrying out its own internal investigation following the incident, which resulted in two women having legs amputated after their carriage collided with a stationary carriage on the same track.

The guilty plea came as the case was being heard at North Staffordshire Justice Centre in Newcastle-under-Lyme today.

District Judge Jack McGarva warned that the company “may be ordered to pay a very large fine”.

Victoria Balch and Leah Washington had legs amputated and three others suffered life-changing injuries after the crash on the theme park’s Smiler ride.

Entering a plea on behalf of the operator, Merlin’s counsel Simon Antrobus said: “I’m duly authorised on behalf of the company to enter a guilty plea to the charge.

“That will be subject to a basis of plea and will be for discussion and prior agreement with the prosecution in due course.”

Sky News

He added: “The company is accepting additional reasonable and practicable measures could have been taken to guard against the safety risk that arose on the day.”

Sixteen people were injured in the crash on a lower part of the ride – the world’s first 14-loop 50-mph rollercoaster.

Miss Washington, Miss Bach, Daniel Thorpe, Joe Pugh and Chandaben Chauhan were the most seriously injured..

The 500-acre theme park in Staffordshire was shut for four days following the crash. The Smiler reopened in March this year.

Additional reporting by the Press Association

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