Inquiry into school wall collapse death finishes hearing evidence

Keane Wallis-Bennett was fatally injured when a changing room wall collapsed on her

A fatal accident inquiry into the death of an Edinburgh schoolgirl who was crushed by a falling wall has finished hearing evidence.

Keane Wallis-Bennett, 12, died at Liberton High School in April 2014.

The inquiry into her death has been taking place at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Mark Hatfield, an inspector for the Health and Safety Executive, was asked about evidence which had been given by a fellow pupil at the school.

The pupil had described "mucking about" with a friend in the changing room by leaning against the wall with their feet up on the opposite wall.

Fully cracked

Fiscal depute Gary Aitken said the girl could not remember whether she and her friend had been doing this at the same time or separately.

"If one of the girls was acting in the manner described, is it possible that may be the reason the wall collapsed?" he asked.

Mr Hatfield replied: "If the wall was only partially cracked, I do not believe it possible for a single girl to have caused it to fall.

"If the wall was already fully cracked, it is possible a single girl, acting in the way described, may have made the wall fall."

He added that if two girls had been acting simultaneously and the wall was fully cracked, it would "turn possibility into probability".

The parties involved in the inquiry will make their submissions on Friday.