Leo Latifi inquest: Boy hit head after locker fell over

Leo Latifi's head teacher said in a tribute after his death that his face "lit up the classroom"

A boy who had climbed a locker unit in a changing room died when it fell over and he hit his head, an inquest heard.

Leo Latifi had gone to a swimming club at Great Baddow High School in Chelmsford, Essex, on 23 May last year.

The nine-year-old was with a friend while his father watched his brother swim. He died in hospital from a severe head injury, the hearing was told.

The school said the lockers had been checked in 2017 and assessed as "stable, secure and fit for purpose".

The evidence came from a transcript of the friend's police interview which was read out by the coroner's officer.

The boy said Leo was "climbing lockers and I was at the bottom of the lockers", with just the two of them in the room.

"We were like chatting and that then I felt it going back so I jumped off and went to the side of it," he said.

Leo died at an after-school swimming club in May

Leo "tried to put one foot down but he couldn't, then his head hit the bench", he said.

The boys had climbed the lockers before, the inquest was told.

Mark Buxton, the school's site manager, said the changing rooms were refurbished in 2005-6 and new vinyl flooring was installed in 2013-14.

Mr Buxton said he thought the flooring contractor "cut round the lockers so... he just left the lockers in place".

"It wasn't until after the incident that I saw the vinyl had been laid to the end of the wall and an indent of the locker base was visible," he said.

The lockers "looked to have integrity, they looked to be robust", he added.

Matthew Flynn, representing Leo's family, asked Mr Buxton if fixtures on the lockers were inspected.

"No, they were not checked," said Mr Buxton. "I didn't know they had fixings."

Paul Draper, the school's business manager, said the lockers "had been assessed as stable, secure and fit for purpose".

He said they were checked during an audit in 2017, adding: "I tried to move it. I'm 17 stone. I couldn't move it."

The inquest continues.