Jessica Lawson drowning: Teachers felt pain 'similar to family'

Brenda and Tony Lawson, Jessica's parents, are attending the judicial hearing into the 12-year-old's death in France

The father of a 12-year-old girl who drowned on a school trip left court after a lawyer suggested the supervising teachers felt pain "similar" to her family.

Jessica Lawson, who attended Wolfreton School near Hull, had been swimming in a lake near Limoges, France, in July 2015 when a plastic pontoon overturned.

Tony Lawson, her father, left the Tulle courtroom after hearing the claim.

Three teachers, a lifeguard and the local town are accused of negligence.

The judicial hearing into her death was previously told 24 children, aged 12 to 17, had been swimming when the pontoon overturned and Jessica was found beneath it. She later died in hospital.

On Tuesday, French prosecutor Myriam Soria recommended teachers Steven Layne, Chantelle Lewis and Daisy Stathers as well as lifeguard Leo Lemaire, be jailed for three years.

(Clockwise from top left) Teachers Steven Layne, Chantelle Lewis, Daisy Stathers and lifeguard Leo Lemaire are giving evidence at the hearing in Tulle, central France

Ms Soria also advised that the local authority in the town of Liginiac should be fined €45,000.

On Wednesday, Mr Lawson left the room after hearing a comment from Stephane Babonneau, acting on behalf of Ms Stathers.

Ms Lewis was offered the chance to say something before proceedings were adjourned, and the PE teacher said the pain was "different to what the family experiences".

Ms Lewis's legal representative, Florian Godest Le Gall, said the teachers' reaction times were the shortest possible, adding that dynamically monitoring children does not mean looking at one student "every microsecond".

The hearing in France previously heard 24 children, aged 12 to 17, had been swimming when the pontoon overturned

Mr Godest Le Gall said the PE teacher "suffers under the weight of responsibility".

One of the lawyers acting on behalf of Mr Layne, Anis Harabi, said Jessica's death was an accident with no "culprits" - adding that his client should not be expected to be a "clairvoyant".

Mr Harabi said Mr Layne did not think it was dangerous because the swimming zone was "supervised".

Mr Layne's other lawyer, Dominique Tricaud, said the teachers acted "simultaneously" when they realised Jessica was missing and that the trio were surveying "tirelessly".

Head of Jurisdiction in Tulle, Marie-Sophie Waguette, previously said there should have been a minimum of three chains to secure the pontoon, but a picture shown in court displayed only two.

The case, expected to last two days, continues.