Inquest into boy’s death adjourned for eighth time

THE mother of a four-year-old boy who died after he was struck by a truck as he played, in August 2001, yesterday said it was a disgrace she had not received any information about the accident.

Joan Landy, the mother of Alex Cuthbert of Eamon Ceannt Tower in Ballymun, Dublin, said her family could not take the wait for his inquest any longer.

“Is there a possibility this could be adjourned today because at this point we can’t take any more?” she asked Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell as he put the case back for the eighth time.

Ms Landy said she and Alex’s father, Tony Cuthbert, had psyched themselves up to attend yesterday’s hearing and on other days since his death on August 22, 2001.

“You said you didn’t want to put the family through any more pain and suffering,” she said to him.

“We have had no answers to anything.”

Alex died after being hit by a truck during work for the Ballymun Regeneration Project on August 22, 2001 - as he played near his home.

Ms Landy said she had to contact Temple Street Children’s Hospital herself to find out if her son was dead upon arrival.

“We have had no postmortem results, that is a disgrace. The last four-and-a-half years we have had nothing.”

Ms Landy said she wanted someone with medical knowledge to explain to her how Alex had died.

The coroner said the inquest had been adjourned on numerous occasions at the request of the Health and Safety Authority, which is charged with investigating deaths in the workplace.

Dr Farrell said he was engaging with the HSA to try to reduce the lengthy wait for inquests in relation to workplace deaths.

Sergeant Tom Lillis told the inquest there had been last minute problems with the jury for yesterday’s sitting.

Dr Farrell said: “I apologise to all concerned for this further delay.”

He said there had been criminal proceedings in the Circuit Criminal Court in Dublin last May in relation to the death.

PJ Carey Contractors, an infrastructure contractor at the Ballymun project, was fined €40,000 and had to pay €12,000 in costs.

The prosecution was brought by the DPP after an investigation by the HSA.

The construction firm, with an address in Wembley, Middlesex, England, pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety legislation.

Dr Farrell, who adjourned the inquest to May 3, said: “I don’t want you to have to come again to the coroner’s court without having this hearing.”