Defence begins testifying at hearing into 2021 Hillcrest tragedy

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Defence witnesses have started testifying at the hearing into workplace safety charges against the operator of the jumping castle involved in the 2021 Hillcrest tragedy.

Transcript

00:00Six children died and three were seriously injured when a jumping castle took flight

00:06at the school's end-of-year event.

00:08Jumping castle operator Rosemary Gamble has pleaded not guilty to failing her health and

00:12safety duty.

00:14The court has heard Ms Gamble only used four pegs to anchor the castle, despite it having

00:18eight anchor points.

00:19The prosecution has said the castle wasn't appropriately anchored to Australian standards.

00:24Ms Gamble's defence team said the manufacturer of the jumping castle told her the castle

00:28met Australian standards and only supplied her with four pegs.

00:32They also said she had to download the operating manual from online as the manufacturer didn't

00:36supply her one.

00:38Today the defence called David Eager, a professor of risk management and injury prevention at

00:42the University of Technology Sydney.

00:44He wrote a report following the incident and today told the court the manufacturer knows

00:48the jumping castle better than anyone, so it was reasonable Ms Gamble didn't go buy

00:53four more pegs.

00:55The parents of victims have been sitting in court throughout the hearing with some walking

00:58out of the room during Professor Eager's evidence.

01:01Tomorrow is expected to be the final day of the hearing, but the Magistrate isn't expected

01:06to deliver a verdict until next year.

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