Oxidation ponds tragedy: Gore District Council admits health and safety charge

The father of Lachie Jones won't give up his search for answers. Image / NZME

Gore District Council has entered a shock guilty plea to a health and safety charge after a toddler was found dead in an oxidation pond almost four years ago.

Lachie Jones was just 3 years old when he was found dead in one of Gore’s oxidation ponds just 1.2km from his home on January 29, 2019.

His father Paul Jones doesn’t believe that Lachie walked there on his way and drowned, despite two police investigations which ruled that the boy drowned.

WorkSafe laid a charge against the local council under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 in relation to the death.

The matter was heading to a defended hearing starting in Gore on January 23.

However, the council this week entered a plea of guilty to an amended charge – and an allegation that a serious risk of death arose from the council’s alleged breach was removed.

Gore District Council chief executive Stephen Parry said as a result the council has entered a plea of guilty to the reduced charge of failing to perform a duty.

“As always, our thoughts continue to remain with Lachlan’s whanau. His death was a tragedy,” he said.

The council will be sentenced at a later date.

Lachie’s dad Paul said the news – which was delivered to him by customers on his courier run – has come as a “huge shock”.

“It’s just blown me to smithereens - I’m dumbfounded,” he told the Herald.

“It’s been four years of all this bulls*** and to come to that so close to the case is just ridiculous.”

The decision to plead guilty to a health and safety charge is an especially big blow for Jones who, in the past, has felt supported by local council officials.

“They shook my hand and said they agree with me - none of them thought my son walked out there and that’s why they supported me,” Jones said.

But he’s vowed to continue to seek answers for Lachie.

“No way is the fight for justice for my son over,” he said.

“Ninety-nine per cent of this town don’t think he walked out there.”