Concerns raised by a coroner into safeguarding practices at The Scout Association have been referred to the Charity Commission, following an inquest into the death of a 16-year-old boy who fell from a cliff edge while on a Scouts trip.

Assistant coroner for North Wales David Pojur is worried about the safety of young people on trips run by the charity after a jury this month found Ben Leonard, from Stockport, had been unlawfully killed by the scout leader and assistant scout leader on the trip six years ago. The jury also found neglect by the Scout Association.

The inquest heard that Ben died from head injuries after slipping and falling at cliffs at the Great Orme, in Llandudno, in August 2018.

In a prevention of future deaths report published this week, Pojur warns “the lives of young people are being put at risk by The Scouts Association’s failure to recognise the inadequacies of their operational practice and the part this has played in the death of Ben”.

'Not a culture of candour'

Pojur added he is “concerned there is not a culture of candour" within the charity "and the impact that this has on safety and safeguarding”.

According to his report, the Scout Association “failed” to provide the inquest with “full information about the action it had in fact taken concerning its leaders on the trip” after Ben’s death.

The charity also “created a misleading impression in the evidence concerning its actions regarding its leaders on the trip post death”.

Among regulatory concerns raised by Pojur is that “whilst the Charity Commission has regulatory oversight, there is no robust regulator who independently and periodically audits and inspects the systems, processes and training of The Scouts Association or the granting of permits for adventurous activities, hill walking and Nights Away permits”.

He is also concerned that the charity's "permit scheme for adventurous activities is exempt from regulation by the Health and Safety Executive".

A Charity Commission spokesperson said: “This was a tragic incident, and the coroner has made serious findings regarding the Scouts Association.

"We will look carefully at the Coroner’s report to see how the Commission can play its part. In line with our guidance, the Scouts have kept us updated .We cannot comment further at this time.”

As well as the Charity Commission, the coroner’s report has been sent to the charity, education secretary Gillian Keegan, the Children’s Commissioners for England and Wales and the Health and Safety Executive.

In addition, Pojur has referred the case to North Wales police.

“We are now reviewing the details of that referral and are therefore unable to comment any further at this stage,” confirmed North Wales police superintendent Sion Williams.

‘Institutionally defensive’

Another concern raised by Pojur is The Scout Association's issuing of a press release “within moments” of the jury’s findings.

He said this “demonstrates a failure" of the charity "to accept any accountability and understanding any proper learning from Ben’s death”, said Pojur, who added that he believes the organisation is "institutionally defensive”.

Pojur’s report details how the scout leader involved in the trip, who is not being named, was granted a permit “simply by providing a list of camps he had been on”.

This “demonstrates that there was no robust system in place to ensure that a permit holder responsible for children’s safety was suitably qualified”, found Pojur.

He also raises concerns that the scout leader involved had “limited knowledge and understanding” of his training as a volunteer leader. This situation was similar for other leaders on the trip.

“This gives rise to a concern that there are other appointed leaders in post who are not suitably competent or qualified in respect of the fundamental issues of safety and safeguarding,” states Pojur’s report.

On the day Ben died the coroner’s report details how the scout leader left “to move his car” before the trip, which was then supervised by two assistant scout leaders without “a brief, instructions or written risk assessment”.

Ben and two other Scouts split off from the main group and were left unsupervised as they walked to the cliff edge, where the teenager slipped and fell.

‘Wholehearted apology’

“We take the conclusion of the inquest extremely seriously,” said Scout Association chair Jennie Price

“We want to restate our wholehearted apology to Ben Leonard’s family and our deepest sympathies continue to be with his family and friends.

“As an organisation we are committed to learning. The jury heard how in this instance the local leaders did not follow our safety rules and processes. As a result of Ben’s tragic death in 2018, we have already made many changes to our risk assessments, safety rules, training and support we give our volunteers.

“We will closely review the coroner’s observations and adopt all further changes we can, to do everything in our power to stop such a tragic event happening again.

“Keeping young people safe from harm remains our number one priority at Scouts. We emphatically refute allegations made in court about any criminal action on behalf of the Scout Association.”

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