Canal death danger not considered

David Moore became trapped under 3.5m (11ft) of water

An engineer overseeing the inspection of a lock where a diver died has told an inquest possible water pressure dangers had "not occurred" to him.

David Moore, 29, of Southsea, Hants, was carrying out maintenance work under the Upper Lode gate near Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, when he died in 2004.

The inquest heard how he was crushed after a dam burst.

But operations engineer Roger Byrne said he had not considered the risk of pressure differential.

The jury heard that Mr Moore was part of a maintenance team draining the lock, leaving the walls and floor exposed.

Mr Byrne, who has an honours degree in civil engineering, said the temporary dam beside the one in which Mr Moore was working, was sealed only by a "hessian sausage" of sacking.

He said: "The method had been used successfully for 40 years.

"One member of the direct labour team had been there for 35 years, the others for 20 years. Taking advice from them, it had been used before."

The lock was being drained to allow the installation of temporary dams

The Gloucestershire Coroner Alan Crickmore asked him: "As an engineer, did you think of the mechanics of what was going on?"

"No, not at the time," Mr Byrne replied.

The coroner asked if he was concerned by the suction effect of high pressure of water flowing to a low pressure area.

"I possibly knew that there may be some suction. I didn't realise how dangerous it was," he said.

Mr Crickmore added: "When you stand in a bath full of water going down the plug hole, you can easily stand as a child and have your foot sucked into the hole. That's the effect of it."

Mr Byrne was asked if the hydraulic pressure of 3.5m (11ft) of water on the other side of the dam had concerned him.

"It didn't occur to me at the time," he replied.

The Crown Prosecution Service has decided that no criminal charges were justified.

Gloucestershire Constabulary, the Health and Safety Executive and British Waterways are all represented in the case.

The hearing continues.