Pontins owner charged over death of grandmother after ceiling collapse

The owner of Pontins holiday parks has been charged with corporate manslaughter after a grandmother died following a ceiling collapse at a resort.

Eighteen people were injured at Pontins Brean Sands in Somerset when a section of ducting fell in February 2019. Wendy Jones, 68, was one of those hurt and died in hospital six months later.

Pontins' parent company, Britannia Jinky Jersey Ltd, will appear in court next month charged with corporate manslaughter. Stephen Bennison, 58, of Farington, Lancashire, has been charged with failing to discharge general health/safety duty to a person other than an employee under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

At the time of the incident, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said around 40m of structural ducting and ceiling sections collapsed, exposing live damaged electrics. The charges authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) follow a joint investigation by Avon and Somerset Police and Somerset Council.

Read more from Sky News:Military clerk faces jail after nearly £1m MoD fraudHow did one of Britain's most shocking paedophile rings get away with it for so long? Detective Superintendent Roger Doxsey, senior investigating officer, said: "First and foremost our thoughts are with the family of Wendy Jones. We have updated them of the CPS' charging decisions.

"This has been a complex investigation and we're grateful for the support of Somerset Council and other partners to reach this stage. "We would like to remind the public that every defendant in the UK is permitted to a fair trial.

"No commentary, materials or details should be published that could prejudice this court process while proceedings are ongoing." The defendants are due to appear at Bristol Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 6 May..