An operations manager at a funfair company has been sentenced to six months in jail and disqualified as a director for five years following the death of a three-year-old girl on a Norfolk beach. The funfair company, Johnsons Funfair Limited, trading as Bounce About, has been fined £20,000 for its role in the incident.
The tragic incident occurred on July 1, 2018, at Gorleston-on-Sea in Norfolk. Ava-May Littleboy, from Somersham in Suffolk, was playing on an inflatable trampoline provided by the funfair company when it unexpectedly exploded, propelling her into the air. The young girl suffered fatal head injuries after being thrown upwards to a height witnesses estimated to be between 20 and 40 feet.
A joint prosecution by Great Yarmouth Borough Council and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) resulted in charges against Johnsons Funfair Limited and its operations manager, Curt Johnson. The investigation revealed that the inflatable trampoline had been imported from China in 2017 without undergoing the required testing and certification to ensure its safety. In addition, the company had not conducted proper risk assessments or established work procedures. Undertrained staff, some of whom were underage and working without the necessary permits, were employed by the company. Furthermore, the inflatables used by the company were not annually checked and certified by an independent expert.
As a result of these findings, Johnsons Funfair Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 6(1A)(a) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £288,475.62 in costs. Curt Johnson pleaded guilty to offences related to his consent or negligence in the company’s breaches and was sentenced to six months in custody for each offence, to be served concurrently. He was also disqualified as a director for five years.
The tragic incident prompted the HSE to publish supplementary guidance specific to sealed inflatables, emphasising the importance of thorough checks and effective maintenance. While incidents involving inflatables are rare, the HSE has made it clear that it will take strong action against funfair operators who fail to prioritise safety.
