“We have certainly avoided a tragedy”, indicates the public prosecutor Tanguy Courroye. On July 19, the Haute Hairie estate, located in Saint-M’Hervé near Vitré (Ille-et-Vilaine), was the scene of an accident as rare as it was serious involving children and ponies. In summer camp in this equestrian center, the 25 children registered and their two companions had to escort a herd of 15 animals from the paddocks to a field that evening where the ponies were to spend the night. Unmounted and not tethered, the equines had to take a path 230 meters long, relatively narrow and lined with poles and electric fences.
But during the wandering, the lead pony had reared up and had suddenly turned around, taking with it the whole herd which had galloped in the direction of the group of children. The stampede was very violent and 17 children, aged 7 to 13, were injured. Trampled by horses and suffering from multiple traumas, three girls had also been transferred in absolute urgency to the southern hospital in Rennes.
Six families of victims filed a complaint
Seven and a half months after the tragedy, the equestrian center appeared this Monday afternoon before the Rennes police court for “involuntary injuries by a legal person with incapacity not exceeding three months” following complaints filed by the families of six young people. victims. After investigation, the Rennes prosecutor’s office had estimated this fall that a “recklessness” had been committed by the managers of the equestrian center but had found “no deliberate fault” in the supervision of the children.
During the hearing, Maître Fabienne Michelet, lawyer for the family of the most seriously injured girl, instructed those responsible for the estate, judged in their absence. According to her, the center “has failed in its obligations and has not sufficiently assessed the risks. “Because herding a herd of animals is a dangerous activity that should not be done by children,” she said. Parading at the bar, the other lawyers for the civil parties also pointed to the lack of experience and skills of the two companions who supervised the children.
“Significant elements of failure”
Arguments also taken up in his indictment by the prosecutor for whom “significant elements of failure” led to this accident. “There were known safety instructions, so the managers were well aware of the risks involved, but they were not taken into account,” he said, referring in particular to “the lack of personnel in relation to the number of children and hair”, “their lack of qualification and their inexperience” and “shortcomings in safety. “” We present the establishment and the person in charge as irresponsible and unserious, retorted Master William Pineau, defense lawyer. But there is only in this file a fault of imprudence ”.
After a little over two hours of hearing, the prosecutor requested a fine of 5,000 euros, including 2,500 suspended, against the managers of the equestrian center. The decision was reserved for June 5.