BOURNEMOUTH COUNCIL SECURITY CHANGES AT SALA MORTUARY
Sat Sep 28, 2019 10:04 am
Bournemouth council says security changes made at Emiliano Sala mortuary
By Tom Seaward
Mortuary bosses have said changes made in the wake of the Emiliano Sala CCTV case should mean a security breach shouldn’t happen again.
The contract between Bournemouth Council, which owns the mortuary that conducted the football star’s autopsy, and the Wiltshire security firm whose workers watched was described as “far from the tightest" by a Swindon judge.
Larry Austin, director for environment at Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, said: “All security cameras at the mortuary are now operated and monitored in-house by the council.
“This has been a dreadful incident for all involved, particularly for the families, and we are confident that as a result of the changes made no further security breach could happen again.”
Two workers formerly employed by Chippenham-based Camera Security Services were jailed this week after they admitted illegally watching the autopsy of professional footballer Mr Sala in February.
The 28-year-old Argentinian striker was killed in January when the plane in which he was travelling crashed into the English Channel. A photograph from Mr Sala’s post-mortem, conducted at Holly Tree Lodge Mortuary in Bournemouth, began circulating online in the days after the autopsy.
Neither Sherry Bray, 49, nor Christopher Ashford, 62, took the image that was later posted to social media.
Both watched the autopsy on a number of occasions. Bray was said to have presided over a workplace where staff felt they could watch autopsies, while night shift worker Ashford had a morbid fascination in forensic science.
Swindon Crown Court heard the contract between CSS and Bournemouth council, which owns the mortuary, did not set out explicitly that CCTV workers should not look at the cameras while autopsies were being conducted.
Judge Peter Crabtree described the contract as “far from the tightest”. Sentencing the pair, he said: “It does not appear that the latest contract with the company explicitly restricted the monitoring of the cameras within the forensic post-mortem room by the company.
“That, it seems to me was an oversight, and I accept that you would not have been aware of the purpose of the cameras.”
Dr Basil Purdue, a Home Office pathologist who conducted Mr Sala’s post-mortem, described the fact the CCTV had been viewed as a flagrant breach of medical confidentiality and an insult to the families involved.
By Tom Seaward
Mortuary bosses have said changes made in the wake of the Emiliano Sala CCTV case should mean a security breach shouldn’t happen again.
The contract between Bournemouth Council, which owns the mortuary that conducted the football star’s autopsy, and the Wiltshire security firm whose workers watched was described as “far from the tightest" by a Swindon judge.
Larry Austin, director for environment at Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, said: “All security cameras at the mortuary are now operated and monitored in-house by the council.
“This has been a dreadful incident for all involved, particularly for the families, and we are confident that as a result of the changes made no further security breach could happen again.”
Two workers formerly employed by Chippenham-based Camera Security Services were jailed this week after they admitted illegally watching the autopsy of professional footballer Mr Sala in February.
The 28-year-old Argentinian striker was killed in January when the plane in which he was travelling crashed into the English Channel. A photograph from Mr Sala’s post-mortem, conducted at Holly Tree Lodge Mortuary in Bournemouth, began circulating online in the days after the autopsy.
Neither Sherry Bray, 49, nor Christopher Ashford, 62, took the image that was later posted to social media.
Both watched the autopsy on a number of occasions. Bray was said to have presided over a workplace where staff felt they could watch autopsies, while night shift worker Ashford had a morbid fascination in forensic science.
Swindon Crown Court heard the contract between CSS and Bournemouth council, which owns the mortuary, did not set out explicitly that CCTV workers should not look at the cameras while autopsies were being conducted.
Judge Peter Crabtree described the contract as “far from the tightest”. Sentencing the pair, he said: “It does not appear that the latest contract with the company explicitly restricted the monitoring of the cameras within the forensic post-mortem room by the company.
“That, it seems to me was an oversight, and I accept that you would not have been aware of the purpose of the cameras.”
Dr Basil Purdue, a Home Office pathologist who conducted Mr Sala’s post-mortem, described the fact the CCTV had been viewed as a flagrant breach of medical confidentiality and an insult to the families involved.
Re: BOURNEMOUTH COUNCIL SECURITY CHANGES AT SALA MORTUARY
Sat Sep 28, 2019 10:11 am
This is a sad case of Bournemouth Council (like many others of their ilk) discharging of their duties to the public they are supposed to serve/protect and is another sad indictment of the modern political trend to 'farm out' works to external companies whose only interest in a financial one...
PFI's are rarely the way forward and usually end up costing public authorities far more than if they had taken responsibility themselves and, as in the case above, proving that if you want a job done properly do it yourself, as at least then you have control and real (not assumed) accountability
Shame on Ashford and Bray; and shame on Bournemouth Council too!
PFI's are rarely the way forward and usually end up costing public authorities far more than if they had taken responsibility themselves and, as in the case above, proving that if you want a job done properly do it yourself, as at least then you have control and real (not assumed) accountability
Shame on Ashford and Bray; and shame on Bournemouth Council too!