The Crown has finished presenting its case in the criminal hearing against the operator of the jumping castle that took flight at Hillcrest Primary School in 2021, killing six children. The court today heard ‘it is possible’ the castle could have still been lifted into the air even if eight industry standard pegs were used to anchor it.
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00:00For the past week and a half, the Magistrates Court in Devonport has been hearing evidence
00:06about what led to the Hillcrest Jumping Castle tragedy in December 2021.
00:11It's the state's case that the castle was not adequately anchored and the pegs used
00:16to anchor it didn't meet industry standards.
00:19The court heard the castle was only pegged at four of its eight tether points the day
00:24it had become airborne.
00:25Six children died and three were injured.
00:28After questioning from the defence, Inflatables expert Roderick McDonald told the court it's
00:33possible the castle still could have lifted even if eight industry standard pegs were
00:38used.
00:39He's previously said if eight star pickets anchored it, the castle would have endured
00:44the wind gust.
00:45The court has also heard the castle's operator, Rosemary-Ann Gamble, was not a competent Inflatables
00:51operator and she should have sought advice if she didn't understand industry operating
00:56guidelines.
00:57Ms Gamble has pleaded not guilty to failing to comply with a health and safety duty over
01:02the incident.
01:04The defence will call three witnesses to the stand to give evidence.
01:08The defence is arguing Ms Gamble took all the reasonable steps she ought to have known
01:13to minimise the risk.
01:14The hearing will continue hearing evidence until Friday.