Collapsed theme park operator fined £1m over death of young girl

The former operator of the Drayton Manor theme park has been hit with a £1m fine after the death of a young girl – but the fine will remain unpaid as the company is in administration.

Evha Jannah, 11, died on the Splash Canyon ride at Drayton Manor while on a school trip after she was “propelled” from it and into the water.

A sentencing at Stafford Crown Court yesterday (18 March) found that Evha’s death was, in the words of Mr Justice Spencer, “an utterly tragic waste of a young life”.

He said there was “no prospect of the fine being paid” as Drayton Manor Park Limited was currently in administration. The firm had previously admitted a breach under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act, after the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) brought the prosecution.

Spencer added: “The public and Evha’s family must not be led to think that this serious offence, which resulted in the death of a child, can properly be met by only a nominal [financial] penalty.

“In my judgment it would be wholly inappropriate to do other than impose the fine which the offence merited.

“No sentence of the court can begin to reflect the tragedy of this case for Evha’s family.”