British teachers found not guilty over death of girl, 12, on France school trip

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Three British teachers have been found not guilty of the equivalent of manslaughter by gross negligence at a French court following the death of a schoolgirl.

In July 2015, Jessica Lawson, 12, drowned in a lake on a school trip near Limoges after a pontoon capsized.

The teachers – Steven Layne, Chantelle Lewis and Daisy Stathers – who were employed by Wolfreton School in Willerby, near Hull, were cleared of any wrongdoing at a trial at the Palais de Justice in the town of Tulle in central France.

Leo Lemaire, who was a lifeguard on duty at the time, and the local authority in the town of Liginiac were also found not guilty.

Jessica’s father, Tony Lawson, left the courtroom when the verdicts were announced while Ms Lewis and Ms Stathers broke down into tears.

Before the verdicts were announced, Mr Lawson left the courtroom after hearing Ms Stathers’ lawyer Stephane Babonneau say that the teachers had felt pain “similar” to that of Jessica’s family over her death.

Jessica’s mother, Brenda Lawson, told the court she expected the teachers to have “respect and integrity” during the trial.

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Ms Lewis was offered the chance to say something before the head of jurisdiction in Tulle adjourned proceedings, where the PE teacher said the pain is “different to what the family experiences”.

Mr Layne and Ms Stathers declined to say anything when offered the opportunity.

Ms Lewis’s legal representative, Florian Godest Le Gall, said the teachers’ reaction times were the shortest possible, adding that dynamically monitoring children does not mean looking at one student “every microsecond”.

Mr Godest Le Gall said the PE teacher “suffers under the weight of responsibility”.

One of the lawyers acting on behalf of Mr Layne, Anis Harabi, said Jessica‘s death was an accident with no “culprits” – adding that his client should not be expected to be a “clairvoyant”.

Mr Harabi said Mr Layne did not think it was dangerous because the swimming zone was “supervised”.

Mr Layne’s other lawyer, Dominique Tricaud, said the teachers acted “simultaneously” when they realised Jessica was missing and that the trio were surveying “tirelessly”.

On Tuesday, French prosecutor Myriam Soria had recommended that Mr Layne, Ms Lewis and Ms Stathers, as well as lifeguard Leo Lemaire, be jailed for three years for their alleged part in Jessica’s death.

Ms Soria also advised that the local authority in the town of Liginiac should be fined €45,000.