Pc may face pool deaths retrial

Gameli Akuklu was on a play scheme when he drowned

A policeman cleared of the manslaughter of two boys who drowned in a pool may face a retrial on health and safety grounds.

Pc Daniel Phillips was supervising the pool at Hendon Police Training School, north London, when William Kadama and Gameli Akuklu, both 14, died.

He was cleared of manslaughter but jurors could not agree on a charge of failing to ensure their safety.

Mr Phillips, 43, will be told next week whether he is to face a retrial.

William and Gameli were found unconscious in the pool on 30 July 2002.

The boys, both from Colindale, north-west London, were spotted at the bottom of the deep end while Mr Philips was helping another boy who had cut his knee, the prosecution claimed.

Unanimous verdicts

Although he had been acting "with the best of motives, the best of intentions", the prosecution said he had left the children unsupervised and was criminally negligent.

A total of 29 children from two summer play schemes arrived at the pool with social workers, but Mr Philips was the only lifeguard.

The officer told the court while he had been helping the injured boy he had kept his eyes on the pool.

Pc Phillips was found not guilty on two counts of manslaughter by unanimous verdicts last Friday.

The case was adjourned for a week while a decision is made whether a retrial on the health and safety charge should proceed.