Tearful mum slams ‘disgusting’ Scouts as they finally admit blame over teen’s fatal 200ft cliff plunge
THE Scouts have finally admitted blame over the death of a teen on a hiking trip – but his tearful mum says it is five-and-a-half years too late.
Ben Leonard, 16, plunged 200ft to his death on the Great Orme in North Wales in August 2018.
The Scout Association has now publicly apologised for the first time and accepted responsibility for Ben’s death following an inquest.
But the teen’s mum Jackie Leonard said: “It’s five-and-a-half years too late. That’s all we wanted from the beginning.”
She also wept as she paid tribute to her “thoughtful, very funny, extremely witty” son, who was planning to study TV and film at college.
Manchester Civil Justice Centre heard how Ben had been taking part in an organised expedition with the Reddish Explorer Scouts when the tragedy unfolded.
Mum Jackie received a call from the Scout leader, Sean Glaister, who told her Ben “had a fall”.
She told the hearing she at first believed her son might have injured his leg or ankle before learning the horrific truth.
Jackie added: “His words were, ‘They are working on him’. That’s what set me off. It didn’t sound good.
“He asked for our address. About an hour from when I spoke to him the police knocked on the door.
“I never worried about him when he went to Scouts. Never.”
The inquest was the third to take place after two previous attempts were aborted.
Jackie said the “defensive” Scouts had failed to apologise before and made out her film buff son was a “wild child”.
When asked how her family had been treated, the mum added: “Disgusting. Like we didn’t matter and like Ben didn’t matter.”
The horror took place on August 26, 2018, as the group set off from Stockport to complete a hike up Snowdon.
After their initial plans were abandoned due to bad weather, they instead planned to walk the Great Orme.
But Ben and his two friends became separated from the rest of their group and were unsupervised by any Scout leaders.
The teen was on a narrow, 50cm ledge when he lost his footing and fell from the cliff edge.
There was no suitably qualified first aider on the expedition and Ben later died from massive head injuries.
Jim Ageros KC, representing the Scout Association, said: “I want to apologise again today on behalf of The Scout Association, it accepts it was at fault for Ben’s death and accepts its responsibility for it.
“Again, we want to apologise to you and your family for your tragic loss.”