Runcorn Aquatic Centre death: Court hears five-year-old boy was unattended, teen lifeguard on duty at ‘high-risk facility’

Prosecutors allege there was inadequate supervision from lifeguards at the moment a five-year-old boy who’d wandered off from family died in hospital after nearly drowning at a Brisbane City Council pool.

Five-year-old Ali Alabedi crossed a bulkhead separating a ramped shallow area into the main indoor pool which was deeper, the court heard.

The person left in charge of a Brisbane swimming pool the day a young child near drowned and later died was a 19-year-old lifeguard who had finished his traineeship just a month before the incident, a court has heard.

City Venue Management Pty Ltd (CVM) which operates the Brisbane City Council-owned Runcorn Aquatic Centre, has pleaded not guilty to one count of failure to comply with health and safety duty – category 2.

Five-year-old Ali Alabedi was at the pool with his family in November 2019 when he crossed a bulkhead separating a ramped shallow area into the main indoor pool which was deeper, the court heard.

The Islamic College student went to the bottom and was retrieved, but he later died in hospital.

Jay Clarke, CEO at City Venue Management, leaves the Magistrates court in Brisbane. Picture: NewsWire

The prosecution alleges there was inadequate supervision of the indoor pool by the absence of a lifeguard roaming around it at the time, which put pool users including Ali at risk.

Barrister Josh Underwood, on behalf of the Office of the Workplace Health and Safety Prosecutor, asked prosecution expert witness Les Mole whether a 19-year-old who was qualified as lifeguard for 11 months was experienced enough to be placed in charge where about 100 people were present.

“Absolutely not,” the former president Royal Life Saving Queensland said.

“It was definitely a high-risk situation, high-risk facility with the people that were in there and what was going on and no that person would not have the knowledge or experience to do what needed to be done during that shift.”

CVM disputes that the 19-year-old had been left in charge of the venue during his shift.

Barrister Kristi Riedel, for CVM, put to Mr Mole it wasn’t a high-risk pool because it was a basic layout.

“When the pool’s empty, it’s very low risk. But you add to the pool … for example a children’s birthday party, children per se, non-English speaking people,” he responded.

Ms Riedel said at the time of the incident there were four lifeguards on duty.

“That exceeds the (recommended) ratio of one lifeguard to 100 patrons in the pool at the time doesn’t it?” she said.

“If you worked on that basis yes,” Mr Mole, who earlier stated the guideline was out of date and should be removed, said.

Expert witness Les Mole leaves the Magistrates court in Brisbane. Picture: NewsWire

In an interview played to the court Workplace Health Safety Queensland inspectors said the lifeguard meant to be supervising the indoor pool was at the front counter, where the pool could still be seen, serving customers.

“What’s the consequences of having that pool unmanned,” one of the inspectors asked.

CVM managing director Jay Clarke said they were still operating within the guidelines and stressed parental responsibility.

“There’s times when yeah the principle is that lifeguards are not babysitters. They’re not to watch every kid, they’re to keep the venue as safe as they can. Parents are the first line of supervision,” he said.

“The boy was by himself is, sadly, part of it, I’ve watched it 20 times and I think I cry every time.”

The trial continues tomorrow in Brisbane Magistrates Court.