THE family of a “lovely, funny and witty” boy who fell from the cliffs at the Great Orme have paid tribute to him following the conclusion of the inquest into his death.
Ben Leonard, 16, of Stockport, suffered fatal head injuries when he fell about 200ft after slipping in Llandudno while on an Explorer Scouts trip on August 26, 2018.
Following a seven-week inquest into his death at Manchester Civil Justice Centre, a jury concluded yesterday (February 22) that Ben was unlawfully killed by the trip's leader and assistant leader, contributed to by neglect from The Scout Association.
The inquest had heard that none of the leaders on the trip - Sean Glaister, Gareth Williams and Mary Carr – were suitably qualified first aiders, a breach of Scout rules.
Their hike up the Orme had also not been risk-assessed, with Ben slipping and falling to his death as he was looking for a way back down.
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Jackie Leonard, Ben’s mother, celebrated the life of her “kind” son who “loved his family and friends”.
She said: “He was lovely, funny, and so witty. He was kind, and loved his family and friends. He had no agenda with anyone - people who met him once remembered him.
“He lived for only 16 years, but he got a lot in in that time.
“One of the sad things is thinking about what he could and would have achieved, and what he’s missed out on.”
Ben, who had just finished studying at Denton Community College, had received his GCSE results days prior to his death.
He was known for his love of literature and film, and reading and writing, and had enrolled at UTC Media City.
At the start of the inquest, Mrs Leonard told of how Ben would take Oscar Wilde books on holiday with him, and of his “unbelievable” creative writing skills.
When he set off with Scout leaders on the walk up the Great Orme, Ben was carrying a copy of Pride and Prejudice, which he had just purchased from a second-hand bookshop.
The Scout Association publicly apologised and accepted responsibility for Ben’s death at the start of the inquest.
David Leonard, Ben’s father, described him as having a “wicked sense of humour”, and being “like a social worker to all of his mates”, such was the kindness he showed his friends.
His older brother, Thomas, shared many of the same interests as Ben, and said he wants him to be remembered “as a brilliant person”.
He added: “We were very close. In the last couple years of his life, he was more like the older brother.
“I needed him a lot more than I realised.”
In a separate statement, Mr and Mrs Leonard added: “Waiting so long for this verdict means we've lived in limbo for years.
“We've been unable to move forward, with the strange feeling that somehow Ben has not been allowed to die until we finally get a death certificate.
“Now he can be in peace.”
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