Jumping castle operator at centre of Hillcrest tragedy that killed six Tasmanian children faces criminal hearing - ABC News

Nov 05, 2024

A criminal case into the deaths of six Tasmanian students during a jumping castle incident at Hillcrest Primary School has started in Devonport.

Jumping castle operator Rosemary Gamble has pleaded not guilty to one count of failure to comply with health and safety duty.

Ms Gamble owned the company that rented inflatable zorb balls and the jumping castle to Hillcrest Primary School for an end-of-year celebration on December 16, 2021.

Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan and Chace Harrison died, and three of their classmates were seriously injured, after the jumping castle became airborne in a gust of wind.

What became known as the Hillcrest tragedy made international headlines.

Since charges were laid in November 2023, a number of directions hearing have been held in the Devonport Magistrates Court ahead of the case starting.

In the complaint, WorkSafe Tasmania alleged Ms Gamble and two employees tethered the jumping castle at four of the eight required anchor points, and did not install the pegs at the appropriate angle.

WorkSafe further claimed the workers were not adequately trained nor supervised to safely set up the castle, which exposed the children to the "risk of serious injury or death".

It is expected that much of the evidence presented to the court will be delivered as agreed facts, which crown prosecutor Madeleine Wilson has previously said will help to prevent re-traumatising children who witnessed the tragedy.

Ms Gamble's lawyer Chris Dockray has told the court much of the defence case will rest on the evidence of witnesses with expertise in inflatables and geotechnical engineering.

Ahead of the hearing, and as recently as this week, the jumping castle was to be reinflated for the parties to gather evidence and prepare their case.

Earlier in the year, the court heard the reinflation of the jumping castle should not occur anywhere in the public view, as it had the potential to re-traumatise members of the public.

On Tuesday morning, members of the victims' families gathered in the public foyer of the court building, with media crowded around each entrance of the court.

In a statement, a Department of Justice spokesperson said that due to the high public interest in the case, a separate public gallery would be set up in Devonport's paranaple centre.

The hearing is expected to run over two weeks.