THE death of a schoolboy who was crushed by a gravestone in a cemetery was “instantaneous and painless”, an inquiry has heard.
Ciaran Williamson sustained two main head fractures, as well as liver and heart damage, when the 7ft stone fell on him at Craigton Cemetery in Glasgow on May 26, 2015.
Relatives broke down in tears as the extent of the eight-year-old’s many injuries were read out during a fatal accident inquiry into his death.
Dorothy Bain, QC, representing Ciaran’s mother Stephanie Griffin, read a joint minute during the inquiry that had been agreed between all parties based on a report by Dr Gemma Kemp, pathologist.
It stated that Ciaran had been facing the gravestone and was “a distance away” from it when it fell.
Ms Bain told the inquiry: “At the point Ciaran was struck by the pediment his death would have been instantaneous and painless.”
She explained: “The pediment fell striking Ciaran on the top of his head, causing him to fall backwards, as a result of which he sustained a severe head injury.
“The pediment fell further and progressed down his face causing him to sustain several abrasions.”
The inquiry heard Ciaran’s heart and liver had been damaged due to “blunt force trauma” and the stone had landed in his chest, shoulder and upper abdomen.
His brain stem was separated in two parts, and he had bruising on his torso and right arm.
Ciaran’s father Ryan Williamson had to leave court as the details were read out, while his mother Stephanie left soon after in tears.
Peter Hayman, an expert stonemason and member of the National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM), also gave evidence yesterday.
He said that if he had inspected the stone before the accident he would have “immediately fenced it off”.
The inquiry heard that “due to the ever-increasing angle of lean, the Ross Memorial, if left as it was without some remedial action, would have failed” and that “very little force” would have been needed to topple it.
When asked what kind of force may have caused the stone’s failure, Mr Hayman replied: “Even a strong gust of wind, ground heave, frost and thaw action.”
Mark Stewart, QC, representing the council, asked the witness to clarify if he thought the stone was “so perilously balancing a gust of wind would have knocked it over” to which he said no.
The inquiry continues.
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