Academy Trust Fined £300,000 After Student’s Choking Death

An academy trust operating a school has been issued a £300,000 fine in connection with the fatality of a teenager who choked on a paper towel, having acknowledged violations of health and safety regulations. Owen Garnett, aged 19, a pupil enrolled at Welcombe Hills special needs school, suffered from Pica, a condition characterized by an urge to consume non-nutritive items. His death occurred two days subsequent to him choking on the towel at the Stratford-upon-Avon school during 2023. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stated that Owen ought to have received close supervision, especially following a near-miss incident merely days prior. Unity MAT (multi-academy trust), the school academy trust, entered a guilty plea to violating health and safety legislation at Coventry Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, and was additionally mandated to cover £10,750 in costs. The trust communicated that it “fully and unreservedly accepts that more could and should have been done”. Owen’s grandparents conveyed in a statement that he was meant to be in an environment where he felt “safe and secure and happy” and ought to have been under constant close supervision. His foster parents recounted that on his final morning in their care, he had eagerly awaited his taxi, shared a cuddle with them, and departed for school. Jacqueline and Graham Blackwell stated: “We had been saving to take him to Florida to swim with dolphins, but this is something he will never get to do.” They added: “We ended up having to use this money to cover the cost of Owen’s funeral.” An inquiry conducted by the HSE determined that no personnel within Owen’s classroom team had undergone any specialized training concerning the management of safety hazards linked to Pica. Pupils were subject to individual risk assessments, and the choking risk connected with Pica had been recognized for Owen, with a designated individual assigned to supervise him. On 9 January 2023, Owen was in the playground without supervision, yet he re-entered the school building. Minutes afterward, he was discovered choking. Emergency services extracted a ball of paper towel from his throat; however, he had suffered from a prolonged lack of oxygen and subsequently passed away in the hospital, according to the HSE. A few days prior, he had experienced a choking incident involving a towel in the playground but successfully cleared his airway. The HSE indicated that the school neglected to guarantee the identification of all risks related to Pica and had not addressed family concerns. HSE inspector Rebecca Whiley commented: “The near miss incident a few days before should have raised the alarm with the school and triggered an investigation into how Owen had been able to access the paper towel, and steps could have been taken to prevent it happening again.” She further stated: “His death resulted from a series of management failures.” A declaration issued by the academy trust conveyed its deepest condolences and a sincere apology to the family. A spokesperson indicated that subsequent to the incident, the trust had endeavored to ensure that lessons were assimilated and modifications implemented “to guarantee the safest environment for young, vulnerable people like Owen to live, learn and thrive”. The trust also mentioned that several measures have been established, encompassing thorough evaluations of safety protocols and procedures, improved staff training, and continuous support and resources for students to safeguard their wellbeing.