Evha Jannath death at Drayton Manor exposed 'systemic failures'

Evha Jannath, 11, died while on a school trip to the theme park in May 2017

A theme park in Staffordshire had a history of water ride failings before the death of an 11-year-old, a court has been told.

Evha Jannath, from Leicester, was on the Splash Canyon rapids ride at Drayton Manor on 9 May 2017 when she was "propelled" into the water.

Drayton Manor Park Ltd previously admitted a breach under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

The company is set to be sentenced on Thursday at Stafford Crown Court.

Evha, who could not swim, fell from a boat at the park in Tamworth when it hit a barrier. A jury inquest in 2019 concluded she died accidentally.

Although a substantial fine is set to be issued, the court heard because Drayton Manor Park Ltd is in administration, it means whatever fine is imposed will never be paid.

But park bosses were told at a previous hearing to expect a fine within a "range of £600,000 to £2.5m".

At the start of the two-day sentencing hearing on Wednesday, James Puzey, for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), told the judge the accident had happened "in context of the systemic failures of safety on this ride".

"The control measures they had were failing every day," he added.

Mr Puzey told the court of a case in 2013 where 10-year-old Patrick Treacy fell into the Splash Canyon attraction and had to be rescued by a member of the public.

The Splash Canyon ride has remained closed since Evha's death

The judge heard but for the bystander intervening, "no-one [park staff] would have noticed".

Between 2011-2013, park records show there were three more instances of people falling into the water at the ride before it was closed following Evha's death.

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The 11-year-old, who was on an end-of-year school trip with Jameah Girls Academy, was unsupervised on the ride and at times, along with other pupils, was standing up.

On the day of Evha's death, the ride operator was "required to do too much", the court was told, as he was training another member of staff and there was no dedicated attendant watching the ride's CCTV to check for people not abiding with the ride's rules.

Evha Jannath was on an end-of-year trip at the theme park when she drowned

Victim impact statements were not read out to the court, but Mr Puzey spoke of the "devastating impact" on Evha's family.

"She was a bright and promising student who had spoken of wanting to become a teacher herself," Mr Puzey said.

Richard Matthews QC, representing Drayton Manor Park Ltd, said the park had co-operated with the HSE investigation fully and had no previous convictions.