Council worker speaks at FAI into gravestone death at Craigton Cemetery

A senior council worker told an inquiry into the death of an eight-year-old killed by a gravestone that inspections of headstones at the time “didn’t offer the protection required”. Tragic Ciaran Williamson was playing with friends in Craigton Cemetery on May 26, last year, when the stone fell on him. Alasdair Brown, head of environment and sustainability with Glasgow City Council in 2015 gave evidence at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday (Mon). An inquiry into the incident is underway at the court to try and establish if there were any reasonable precautions that could have prevented the tragedy. And, to establish if there were any defects in the system of work which caused or contributed to Ciaran’s death. Mr Brown - who has since left Glasgow City Council - admitted that the checks of headstones at the time of the incident fell short of what was required and didn’t follow guidance. He said a review of headstone inspections didn’t take place until after May 2015. Dorothy Bain QC representing Ciaran’s mum Stephanie Griffin asked: “What was going on before Ciaran’s accident was inadequate, wasn’t it?” Mr Brown replied: “There was a programme of inspection, it was not a programme of inspection that followed guidance and therefore it wasn’t doing what it was supposed to do.” It was put to the witness that if something doesn’t do what it is supposed to do that it is "inadequate". He answered: “It didn’t offer the level of protection that was required.” Again, Ms Bain put to him that it was “inadequate” and he said: “I fully accept the programme of headstone checks pre 2015 was not following guidance.” The inquiry heard of a council report compiled and shown to a committee of councillors in October2013 who could ask questions about the contents. Ms Bain confirmed with the witness that Frank McAveety was one of the councillors on that committee. She read out from the document that the purpose the report was to advise the committee of improvements carried out to council cemeteries and crematoria and plans for the coming financial year. The inquiry was told the document read “At present there is limited inspection and maintenance programme in the interest of memorial safety/amenities”. It outlined a pla to work with the Scottish Prison Service with inmates who are getting ready to return to life outside prison and have them carry out work. And, that the work they would do would include initial assessment of memorials and laying flat any unsafe stones. Mr Brown said: “This wasn’t about us creating a health and safety programme, there should have already been a health and safety programme in place. “Anything that the prisoners were going to be doing was going to be additional or a bonus if you like.” Miss Bain again said to him that it said in the document it claimed there was a “limited inspection and maintenance programme”. He replied: “It’s there in black and white.” She continued: “It goes on to say that the work wasn’t carried out as a core function by Glasgow city council staff. The witness said: “That’s not what should be taken from that, the council were doing headstone checks, I accept it wasn’t to guidance at the time, they were doing headstone checks at the time.” Mr Brown claimed records show that there was inspections carried out between 2003 and 2011 and after that he has “verbal evidence”. Sheriff Linda Ruxton clarified with him that the core function he said was in place, but that didn’t follow any guidance was the practice of checking five gravestones on either side of where a burial was going to take place. She asked: “Is that what you’re referring to or was there more?” He replied that he "wasn't aware of any others". The inquiry continues.

• Local News