![\"Family](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_JS246352439.jpg\")
Louis Watkiss was just 12 when he died after an incident at a tobogganing party at Tamworth’s SnowDome<\/p>\nStaffordshire coroner, Fiona Gingell, has ruled there will be no formal inquest into the death of schoolboy Louis Watkiss, who died at Tamworth’s SnowDome<\/p>\n
17:35, 07 Nov 2025Updated 17:43, 07 Nov 2025<\/p>\n
Louis Watkiss was just 12 when he died after an incident at a tobogganing party at Tamworth’s SnowDome<\/p>\n
The family of a Birmingham schoolboy killed at a snow sports venue have expressed their disappointment and anger after a coroner confirmed there will be no formal inquest into his tragic death.<\/p>\n
Fiona Gingell, coroner for Staffordshire<\/a> and Stoke-on-Trent, made the decision at a pre-inquest review hearing held at Stafford Coroner\u2019s Court in the town\u2019s County Building on Friday (November 7).<\/p>\n Ms Gingell had considered submissions on behalf of Louis\u2019 family, who live in Sutton Coldfield<\/a>, and the SnowDome into the tragic incident on Friday, September 24, 2021 at the Tamworth<\/a> venue.<\/p>\n Read more: SnowDome ordered to pay \u00a3116k after schoolboy dies at birthday party<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Louis had been attending a tobogganing birthday party for a friend when a member of staff, Joseph Dibb, collided with the 12-year-old as he came down the slope on a toboggan and fell on him.<\/p>\n Louis suffered a catastrophic head injury and was pronounced dead at the scene.<\/p>\n Ms Gingell found the issues to be determined by an inquest \u2013 namely who died and where, when and how they died \u2013 had already been determined by the Health and Safety Executive\u2019s (HSE) criminal investigation, which concluded earlier this year.<\/p>\n As a result of this, she said no formal inquest would take place into his death. But an inquest based on the paperwork \u2013 an \u2018inquest in writing\u2019 – is expected to take place and a written conclusion issued.<\/p>\n Louis\u2019 family reacted angrily to the decision with his dad, Chris, and grandad, Richard, visibly upset in the court room. Chris criticised the police for a 28-day delay in interviewing the man who fell on his son.<\/p>\n Keith Morton KC, representing the SnowDome had set out why a formal inquest should not take place. Richard praised the SnowDome for their choice of lawyer, saying: \u201cYou chose your legal representative excellently.\u201d<\/p>\n The family were upset that more than four years after Louis\u2019 death nothing has changed \u2013 the snow leisure industry is not regulated and there is no requirement for helmets to be worn while toboganning.<\/p>\n They said the risks to children, and adults, remain as high now as they did when Louis tragically lost his life.<\/p>\n Family’s anger and disappointment<\/p>\n After the hearing Louis\u2019 dad and mum, Chris and Natalie Watkiss spoke to BirminghamLive.<\/p>\n Chris said: \u201cRaw emotion at the end there. Anger, bewilderment, astonishment, disappointment<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been such a long, long journey and for it to end in a wishy washy way.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery valid point that [Louis\u2019 mum] Natalie had made as to why we should have an inquest, which I thought would have been a pre-requisite when a child dies, was just kind of rebutted with such nonchalance.<\/p>\n \u201cVery, very disappointed but I am not entirely surprised. I wouldn\u2019t be lying by saying I knew this was coming.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it just sums up how this whole journey\u2019s been. Mistake after mistake. Delay after delay.\u201d<\/p>\n Louis\u2019 mum, Natalie, added the family wanted a formal inquest for \u2018public confidence and reform\u2019.<\/p>\n Read more: Parents of schoolboy killed in SnowDome slope crash blasts fine as ‘ridiculous’<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n She said: \u201cWe\u2019ve quickly learned along the way that the inquest process is the most brutal part of any part of this investigation.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause the chance when you get to have a voice is when you get to realise, wow, my gosh you don\u2019t really have one.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd what\u2019s come out of this for us. Since the sentencing in February there hasn\u2019t been an opportunity where the public would have had more awareness and access to the wider issues that I had submitted to be addressed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s been closed down today is a very disappointing and missed opportunity to learn, share that knowledge and make change and not contain information.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a disappointment that the very organisation that created all of this for us to be here isn\u2019t the organisation that will step forward and make wider systemic change in a snow sector that is unregulated and still has risk.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more: SnowDome tragedy was ‘preventable’ says HSE as it issues risk assessment warning<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n At the hearing, coroner Ms Gingell had set out the scene and explained what happened on September 24, 2021, and the following investigations.<\/p>\n She said Staffordshire Police had handed over primacy of the investigation to the HSE.<\/p>\n And in February, the SnowDome admitted breaching section 3 of Health and Safety at Work Act \u2013 a duty to keep non-employees safe at its premises.<\/p>\n The SnowDome was fined \u00a3100,000<\/a> and ordered to pay \u00a316,000 in costs.<\/p>\n The Health and Safety Executive said Louis’ death was ‘preventable’<\/a>.<\/p>\n But the family had wanted a formal inquest in a coroner\u2019s court with evidence called, while the SnowDome had argued for the inquest to be based on the paperwork only.<\/p>\n Ms Gingell said she had to decide whether there was sufficient reason to hold a formal inquest – \u2018for the coronial investigation to be resumed\u2019 – to help with issues like \u2018achieving a greater consistency between coroners\u2019.<\/p>\n She received written submissions from both sides along with an additional statement from the pathologist.<\/p>\n Louis\u2019 family had requested a formal inquest, citing issues they say were not covered in the HSE prosecution, including the emergency planning and what they said were delays in the 999 response, and whether Louis could have survived with a better response.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_JS246307744.jpg\")
SnowDome in Tamworth.<\/p>\n![\"Louis](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_IMG_5049jpeg.jpg\")
Louis Watkiss’s mum and dad, Chris and Natalie spoke of their ‘anger and disappointment’ after coroner, Fiona Gingell, said there would be no formal inquest in open court into their son’s death <\/p>\n