CHARGES relating to the Haut du Mont explosion are to be considered by law officers after case files relating to the tragedy – which claimed the lives of ten Islanders in December 2022 – were completed.
A government statement has confirmed that files have been passed to the Law Officers Department by the States police and the Health and Safety Inspectorate.
The completion of the initial investigation comes six months after the police confirmed that interviews had taken place with three suspects in connection to offences of gross negligence manslaughter.
A statement said: “The States of Jersey Police and Health and Safety Inspectorate investigation teams have completed the initial case files which comprise a comprehensive collection of evidence, documents, and expert opinion in relation to the case.
“This has been submitted to the Law Officers Department for consideration of charges while the investigation teams continue to gather material and undertake further enquiries.
“Family liaison officers continue to support the bereaved families.”
Dubbed Operation Spire, the police investigation has involved 2,024 lines of enquiry, 1,157 statements and 1,988 exhibits.
The three suspects were originally arrested in August of last year, eight months after the residential block at Pier Road was destroyed in the explosion, with chief officer Robin Smith saying in April that his force’s investigation was “very well advanced” and “nearing the conclusion”.
Speaking on 10 April, Mr Smith said: “We had three suspects return on bail last week, on 2, 3 and 4 April – their reappearance coincided with another expert’s report that we had.
“As a result of that expert’s report – which is very detailed – we interviewed them all on separate days and they have now been put back on police bail.”
While he declined to go into the detail regarding the expert report, Mr Smith described it as “significant” and said it had been “the catalyst to speak again to our suspects”.
In July of this year, Home Affairs Minister Mary Le Hegarat said the final remaining expert report into the explosion had been completed, with a charge file being “well advanced”.
Deputy Le Hegarat said at the time: “I fully appreciate that people want closure but it is appropriate when we have something of such serious nature that the investigation teams need the time and space to be able to [work].”
The nine residents who died in the Pier Road explosion on 10 December 2022 were 72-year-old Peter Bowler, Raymie Brown (71), Romeu and Louise De Almeida (67 and 64 years), Derek and Sylvia Ellis (61 and 73 years), Ken and Jane Ralph (72 and 71 years) and 63-year-old Billy Marsden.
Kathy McGinness (73), who lived in an adjacent block at 35 Haut du Mont, was injured as a result of the explosion and died at the General Hospital on Christmas Day.
