Missed chances to save Weymouth teen on rail line, jury finds

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A drunken teenage girl was electrocuted on a railway line after police and Network Rail missed opportunities to prevent her death, an inquest jury has found.

Roxy Phillips, 15, fell on to the live rail in Weymouth, Dorset, while she was walking home at night with a friend in March 2023.

A member of the public reported trespassers on the line and the current was switched off, the inquest in Bournemouth heard.

However, the jury questioned actions by Dorset Police, British Transport Police and Network Rail which it said may have caused her death when power was restored.

The inquest heard that just before 01:00 GMT on 23 March, there was a 999 call reporting that two people had walked on to the railway line at Weymouth station.

Power was switched off and Dorset Police went to the scene.

Officers, who did not access the track, reported they could not see or hear anyone and no further search was undertaken.

Just under half an hour later the power was restored, the inquest heard.

A further 24 minutes after that, Ms Phillips’ friend phoned 999 to report that she had fallen.

The location was near Redlands Sports Centre, nearly 3km (2 miles) from Weymouth station and about three-quarters of a km (half a mile) from her home in Broadwey.

Recording a conclusion of misadventure, the jury said alcohol was a probable cause of the tragedy while possible factors included the actions of police and emergency services.

It said Dorset Police failed to record reports of the trespassers’ vulnerability, did not communicate fully with the other authorities and did not review the incident at a senior level once the track went live.

The jury questioned British Transport Police’s “lack of command and control of the incident” and “sufficiency of inquiry… as to the extent of the search”.

The force also did not record a request by Dorset Police to attend, it said.

For Network Rail, the jury highlighted “the adequacy of inquiries” about both the trespassers and the extent of the police search.

It concluded: “Roxy died as a result of consuming alcohol and trespassing on an electrified line.

“There were missed opportunities by Dorset Police, British Transport Police and Network Rail to locate Roxy or establish that she was no longer on the tracks before restoring power.”

The authorities have been approached for comment.

The inquest heard the teenager was excluded from school and had been due in court the day before she died on charges of assaulting paramedics and police.

A previous report by Pan-Dorset Safeguarding Children’s Partnership said care authorities missed opportunities to intervene with the teenager.

Family friend Sasha Knott-Fancy previously told the BBC: “She really was a beautiful young lady. She was just blossoming. She was such a huge animal lover… a larger-than-life character.”

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story you can visit BBC Action Line.