A care home manager has been ordered to pay £4,000 following the tragic deaths of two residents who drowned when a boat they were in capsized during an outing. Janice Sowden, 60, as the registered manager of Burdon Grange Care Home, admitted to failing to provide safe care and treatment that resulted in avoidable harm.
The incident occurred in June 2022 at Roadford Lake Activity Centre near Okehampton. Alexander Wood, 43, and Alison Tilsley, 63, both wheelchair users, died after the wheelyboat, designed to carry individuals in wheelchairs, overturned. Another person, Kate Dart, sustained serious injuries. The court heard that Mr Wood and Ms Tilsley were strapped into their electric wheelchairs without any immediate means of release, and both were pulled under the water by the weight of their chairs when the vessel capsized shortly after setting off.
Exeter Magistrates' Court was told that Ms Sowden failed to conduct a proper risk assessment for the excursion, which involved six wheelchair-bound residents from the care home. Prosecutor James Marsland described this as a "classic case of serious negligence," emphasising that Ms Sowden did not ensure any risk assessment took place concerning the specific needs of the service users. Judge Stuart Smith highlighted that the facility cared for "extremely vulnerable" individuals, making the need for thorough health and safety assessments before such a trip patently obvious.
The court also heard concerning details regarding Ms Sowden's actions after the incident. She reportedly attempted to fabricate evidence of health and safety considerations, creating a false checklist for the boat trip in an effort to "deceive" investigators. Despite previous descriptions of Ms Sowden as a "caring" and "diligent" manager since her appointment in 2016, the court noted a "cultural complacency" had developed at the home, leading to a decline in standards.
Judge Smith expressed the devastating impact of the incident, stating that the lives of two much-loved residents were lost as a direct consequence of Ms Sowden's "cavalier attitude to good health and safety practice." He ordered Ms Sowden to pay a total of £4,090, which includes a £190 government surcharge and £2,000 towards prosecution costs.
Source: Exeter Magistrates' Court