Man in court over caving death

Man in court over caving death

Kevin Sharman died at Porth-yr-Ogof

A 32-year-old man has appeared in court charged with manslaughter following the death of a 17-year-old army trainee while on a caving exercise.

Kevin Sharman died in July 2002 after getting into difficulties in an underground rock pool, which has claimed up to 10 lives in the past.

Matthew Doubtfire from Monmouth appeared before Ystradgynlais Magistrates, where his case was committed to Swansea Crown Court on 7 March.

He was granted unconditional bail.

Dyfed-Powys Police and the Army launched an investigation after the young soldier died while on an army training exercise at the Porth-yr-Ogof caves in the Brecon Beacons National Park in mid Wales.

Private Sharman ran into difficulties in the seven-metre deep Resurgence pool, which has warning signs posted around the entrance.

The Porth-yr-Ogof cave has been the site of previous deaths

He was flown to Morriston Hospital in Swansea by air ambulance, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The teenager, from Derbyshire, had travelled to Powys from the Army's technical foundation college in Berkshire for a five-day adventure training course, which was to have included caving, hill walking and canoeing.

Porth-yr-Ogof has the largest cave entrance in Wales, at 20 metres wide and three metres high.