A full council apology has been made this week to the household of Alexia Walenkaki, the little woman killed in a playpark accident at Mile Finish in 2015.
The apology emerged at Tower Hamlets Council’s assembly on Wednesday (Jan 20), the day the authority was fined £330,000 in a prosecution by the Well being & Security Govt which lastly managed to convey authorized motion after five-and-a-half years.
Floral tributes laid exterior Mile Finish playpark by neighbours and mates day after the tragedy in 2015
– Credit score: Mike Brooke
Alexia died the day earlier than her sixth birthday when a rotting picket playground swing collapsed on her in entrance of her horrified mom.
She was rushed to the Royal London Hospital, however died at 6.43pm on July 17, lower than two hours after the accident.
Alexia at all times beloved the swings and loved amusement parks
– Credit score: Kwotuah household
The congregation St Dunstan’s Church in Stepney, the place the household have been common worshippers, stated prayers for her and a particular meeting was held the next day at Alexia’s faculty, Stepney Greencoat Church of England Main.
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The tragedy was brought on by wrongly utilizing poplar wooden to make the swing as a substitute of oak. It had not been checked for security by the native authority an inquest a yr later dominated. However no company manslaughter fees have been introduced.
Yesterday, January 20, at Westminster Magistrates’ Court docket the council pleaded responsible to breaching well being and security laws and was fined £330,000 with £6,204 prices.
Broken play tools pictured the day after Alexia’s accident at Mile Finish playpark
– Credit score: Mike Brooke
For the reason that tragedy the council has introduced in adjustments and harder security checks, councillors have been assured on Wednesday.
Mayor John Biggs informed them: “It was a devastating accident which touched many people. Since then we’ve launched adjustments in parks in order that nothing like that ought to ever occur once more.
“We should all settle for full duty for the half the council performed in her dying.”
It has been 66 bitter months of distress to get some justice for the household from Carr Road in Limehouse. They stay simply 5 minutes’ stroll from the playpark off Burdett Street the place the accident occurred on a shiny summer season’s night in 2015.
The youngsters’s play tools at Mile Finish Park, later declared rotten, which had not been inspected for security
– Credit score: Mike Brooke
Company manslaughter fees couldn’t be introduced on the time as a result of it solely applies to senior administration failures, the household was informed a yr later. The defective play tools was as a consequence of junior staff and a contractor, the Crown Prosecution Service informed Alexia’s mum Vida Kwotuah.
“All these wrongs, but no one’s prosecuted,” Vida stated on the time. “It’s onerous to maintain combating for what is true and never getting anyplace.”
Following the judgement handed in court docket this week, the council’s chief government Will Tuckley informed councillors: “I recognise that no phrases might ever be satisfactory, however I want to apologise once more to Alexia’s mom, family and friends for his or her insufferable loss and specific our profound remorse that Alexia died within the park the place she ought to have been secure.”
The play tools had not been inspected since September 2013, it emerged on the 2016 inquest.
The chance might have been recognized if the tools had been inspected and examined for indicators of rot and acceptable motion taken to switch it, the coroner declared.
Alexia Walenkaki, who died at 6.43pm on July 17, 2015
– Credit score: Kwotuah household
However tragically the inspection by no means occurred. The swing was left to rot in Mile Finish Park whereas youngsters performed on it — and took Alexia’s younger life.
