Waters sports firm and former director to face trial over child's death (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Waters sports firm and former director to face trial over 11-year-old Mari-Simon Cronje's death

12:20pm Tuesday 19th February 2013 in News

A water sports club and its director are to face trial over the death of an 11-year-old girl killed after being struck by a speedboat.

Mari-Simon Cronje, from Putney Common, was killed during a birthday celebration at Princes Sporting Club, in Bedfont, Middlesex, on September 10, 2010, after falling from an inflatable banana boat.

She was hit by the speedboat that was towing the giant inflatable.

Princes Sporting Club face corporate manslaughter charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Former director Frederick Glen Walker, 49, from Cobham, also faces charges under the same act.

Both parties pleaded not guilty to the charges

Immediately after the incident, a family friend swam over to help Mari-Simon, a pupil at Roehampton’s Ibstock Place School, but she fell unconscious and died later in hospital from severe leg injuries.

Speaking at Westminster Magistrates' Court this morning (February 19), chief magistrate Howard Riddle said: "This is a very tragic case, tragic for everyone involved."

The trial will take place at Southwark Crown Court on April 26.