Boy, 10, died after falling through open manhole close to playpark

A BOY fell through a manhole cover to his death after a contractor failed to put in place adequate health and safety measures.

Shea Ryan, 10, slipped on a ladder inside the hole close to a play park near his home in Glasgow’s Drumchapel on July 16, 2020.

Shea entered the construction site through an insecure fence before sitting beside the open cover situated 60 metres from the park.

Prosecutor Saud Ul-Hassan told Glasgow Sheriff Court: “Shea began to climb down the ladder where he slipped and fell. From the position of the ladder, he fell to the water below.”

Shea Ryan, 10, died after falling through an open manhole near a playpark in Drumchapel, Glasgow.

Children raised the alarm and Shea’s stepdad Graham Patterson entered the manhole to try and save the boy. When police got to the scene, Shea was found lying on his back with Mr Patterson and a neighbour beside him.

Mr Ul-Hassan said: “Shea was seen to have severe head injuries, cold to the touch and was not breathing.”

The cause of death was noted as head injury and drowning.

Contractor RJ McLeod, who were in control of the construction site, was carrying out work for Glasgow City Council to reduce flooding in the area.

An investigation found the company “failed to undertake a full assessment on the work area and consider its close proximity to the nearby play park and the risk of children being attracted to the site as well as identify the measures to prevent unauthorised access”.

The fencing had been vandalised in the past with the site breached on six occasions, the court heard.

The company pled guilty to failing to ensure people not in their employment were not exposed to risks to their health and safety.

Paul Marshall, defending, told the court: “I extend deepest sympathies for the tragic loss to the family of Shea.”

Joanne Ferguson, Shea’s mother, in a statement released by Digby Brown solicitors, said: “I am glad RJ McLeod finally admitted guilt. My son is not here and that destroys me every day. That totally avoidable accident has ruined my life and my kid’s lives – I don’t even feel human anymore at times because of the grief."

Sentence was deferred until later this week.