Scout Association Referred to Police After Jury Finds Teen Unlawfully Killed on Trip

The jury's verdict highlights neglect and safety failures during the 2018 North Wales outing, prompting a public apology and commitments to change from the Scout Association.

A jury found that Ben Leonard, a 16-year-old scout, was unlawfully killed during a trip in North Wales in 2018, leading to the Scout Association being referred to police for investigation.
Neglect by the Scout Association and the absence of qualified first aiders on the trip contributed to Leonard's death, according to the jury's findings.
The Scout Association has publicly apologized and accepted responsibility for Leonard's death, committing to learning from the incident and making changes to its safety rules and processes.
Calls for a public inquiry into the Scout Association have been bolstered by parents of other children who died on scouting trips, highlighting concerns over safety and oversight.
Lawyers for Leonard's family pointed out that there have been 12 deaths linked to the Scouts or on Scout trips in the past 30 years in the U.K.