UK news This article is more than 13 years oldCouncil cleared over schoolboy's potholing death
This article is more than 13 years oldNorth Yorkshire cleared in health and safety trial after Joe Lister, 14, died in Manchester Hole cave on school tripA local authority was today found not guilty of breaching health and safety laws after a 14-year-old schoolboy died on a caving trip.
Joe Lister drowned when water swept through Manchester Hole cave in the Yorkshire Dales during a Tadcaster grammar school trip in November 2005.
North Yorkshire county council, which owns and operates the outdoor education centre involved in the potholing trip, was cleared of two charges of failing to ensure the health and safety of staff and others.
A jury at Leeds crown court took about nine hours to reach the not guilty verdicts.
Joe, from Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, was one of 10 pupils and three adults taking part in the caving trip organised by the Bewerley Park Centre.
The group got into difficulties when water in the cave began rising rapidly, forcing them to swim for safety through a tunnel known as the Crawl - which is 12 metres (just under 40ft) long and less than one metre (3.28ft) high at its lowest point.
Joe drowned in the cave and was later found by a rescuer with his head torch still on but without his wellington boots.
North Yorkshire county council was charged with two counts under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Mr Justice Wilkie said: "In the end, the jury has concluded that there was nothing which the North Yorkshire county council could reasonably have done to have avoided what happened.
"It is right and proper that they should have reached such a conclusion.
"I trust, however, that this will not be regarded as a reason for any complacency or self-congratulation by those involved in organising and delivering these activities.
"For the one thing this case has taught is that, however great the expertise, and however easy the cave, they can be unpredictable and dangerous."
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