00:00An Inflatables expert giving evidence that the tragedy could have been avoided as families
00:09listened on and wept in the back of the Devonport Magistrates Court. Six children died and three
00:16were seriously injured after a jumping castle was tossed by intense wind across the Hillcrest
00:22Primary School Oval nearly three years ago. Rosemary Anne Gamble, the castle's operator,
00:28has pleaded not guilty to a single count of failing to comply with a health and safety
00:33duty. The court has heard she only secured the castle at half its anchor points, using
00:38only four pegs, and that she had star pickets available on the day, but they were considered
00:44a tripping hazard. Today, Roderick Macdonald told the court, if all eight star pickets
00:50were used, it would have endured the event, and that if Ms Gamble used eight of the manufacturer's
00:55pegs, it potentially could have withstood it. Mr Macdonald also told the court she failed
01:01to meet a number of Australian standards and was not a competent operator of a jumping
01:06castle. But her defence claims some of her non-compliance mirrors the manufacturer's.
01:12Mr Macdonald responding, that could be fair. Mr Macdonald's evidence has already taken
01:17up more than a day in court, with the defences questioning only beginning this afternoon.
01:23He'll return again tomorrow. Today's proceedings wrapped up after Ms Gamble's lawyer said he
01:28had a cracking headache, and the magistrate agreed it had been a long day.
Comments