A THIRD pre-inquest review has been scheduled in relation to the death of seven-year-old Conley Thompson whose body was found on a building site more than two years ago.
A Health and Safety Executive investigation into the schoolboy’s death is ongoing having taken over the lead from South Yorkshire Police earlier this year.
Conley died after getting stuck in a vertical pipe on a site on Bank End Road, Worsbrough Dale.
Foul play was ruled out early on in the police investigation and in April this year the South Yorkshire force said it had concluded its enquiries and consulted with the Crown Prosecution Service. Police said no criminal charges were to be brought and a file was to be prepared for the coroner.
This led to a pre-inquest review being held in July and again on Monday with a further hearing listed for April as various reports are still outstanding.
The CPS has already said it would not be bringing any charges but the HSE had taken the lead in the investigation to consider prosecution for health and safety breaches.
A spokesman for the HSE told the Chronicle this week: “HSE’s investigation into the death of Conley Thompson is ongoing and we are unable to comment further at this time.”
Guidance issued by the chief coroner says pre-inquest reviews are held to make sure a case is managed effectively, efficiently and openly. It is not unusual for more than one to be held in complex cases as they provide an opportunity to collate all relevant evidence so that interested persons are able to consider the evidence fully.
Conley’s body was found by workmen on the morning of July 27, 2015 after being reported missing from his home on Underwood Avenue, Bank End, by his mother Paula Thompson the day before.
The grim discovery came after a massive police search was launched involving more than 50 officers who looked throughout the night for the little boy. He was eventually found by workmen on the site, owned by Leeds-based housing developer Erris Homes.
The plot had been under 24-hour surveillance by security firm Security Guards UK until July 16 when the 24-hour cover was stopped - 11 days before Conley’s body was discovered.
At the time of the little boy’s death, a manager for the security firm claimed the tragedy could have been avoided had 24-hour monitoring not been taken away and concerns about children playing there been listened to.
Houses completed on the development, called Church View, are now being marketed for sale.
