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BBC Wales's Rebecca John reports
"Magistrates said they hoped the size of the fine would act as a warning"
 real 56k

Monday, 14 May, 2001, 19:59 GMT 20:59 UK
Pool death holiday firm fined
Fishguard Holiday Park
Improvements have been made at the holiday camp
A holiday company from west Wales has been fined £19,000 after the death of a three-year-old boy in a swimming pool accident 12 months ago.

Nicholas Christopher, from Llwynypia, Tonypandy, south Wales, was found face down under the cover of the pool at the holiday camp in Fishguard.

Camp owners Howells Leisure admitted failing to adequately control access to the pool and failing to carry out a risk assessment.

Nicholas Christopher
Nicholas Christopher: Pool tragedy
The company appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court in a prosecution brought by Pembrokeshire County Council.

The court heard that a leaflet pack advertising the fact that the pool was unsupervised was inadequate.

Howells Leisure was also ordered to pay costs of £3,500.

Nicholas drowned last Whitsun after he wandered off from his parents on a Saturday night.

'Fine act as warning'

Attempts to resuscitate him failed.

An earlier inquest recorded a verdict of accidental death.

The court was told that holiday park owner Charles Howells had spend £11,000 on improving safety at the pool since the accident.

Magistrates said they hoped the size of the fine would act as a warning to other holiday companies.

Safety officials from Pembrokeshire council were called in to investigate the incident last year.

At the inquest last July, Nicholas's father Terry Christopher called for tighter safety restrictions on pools.

The caravan site has been a holiday spot since the 1960s and the 100 caravans on the site are privately owned.

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See also:

28 May 00 | Wales
Pool death of boy, 3, investigated
27 Jul 00 | Wales
Call for improved pool safety
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