Zoo company in court over keeper's death
A company which runs the two wild animal parks of deceased millionaire John Aspinall was today appearing in court charged with six health and safety breaches after the death of an elephant keeper at one of the zoos.
Darren Cockrill, 27, was crushed by an elephant in its enclosure at Port Lympne zoo, near Hythe, Kent, in February last year.
Howletts and Port Lympne Estates Limited was today appearing at Folkestone Magistrates Court on six charges of breaking the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Five charges relate to its employment of elephant keepers.
The company is accused of failing to produce a fully documented system of work, provide keepers with necessary instruction and training, supervise keepers, review health and safety risks, and to ensure Darren Cockrill and other keepers were not exposed to risks.
The final charge relates to the whole zoo at Port Lympne, alleging it failed to prepare a written outline of the organisation and put arrangements in place for carrying out the written general health and safety policy.
The company was being prosecuted by Shepway District Council.
Controversial zoo and casino owner John Aspinall died in June last year, aged 74, after losing a three-year fight against cancer of the jaw.
The friend of the missing peer Lord Lucan also secretly struggled with leukaemia.
He was buried in the grounds of his first zoo, Howletts Wild Animal Park, near Canterbury, which he bought after a big horseracing win in 1957.
Mr Aspinall set up a foundation before his death to keep the loss-making animal parks running.
The health and safety charges relate only to Port Lympne zoo and not Howletts.
Mr Cockrill had been an elephant keeper at Port Lypmne for seven years.
He was found by colleagues lying unconscious in an elephants’ enclosure.
