Witness recalls dragging swimmer from Armagh pool

A witness has told a court how he helped drag Christopher Rogers to the surface of a swimming pool, before he and a lifeguard pushed him out.

Mr Rogers, who was 20, died following a swim session at the Orchard Leisure Centre in Armagh in April 2017.

Cathal Peter Forrest McVeigh, 35, of Dunamony Road in Dungannon, James Monaghan, 26, of Folly Lane in Armagh and William Holden, 26, of Unshinagh Lane in Portadown were on duty the night Mr Rogers died.

The charge against them stated that "being an employee, [they] failed to take reasonable care for the health and safety of other persons who may be affected by [their] acts or omissions at work". All three men have pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution claim the men took too long to launch a rescue effort and that lifeguards took too long completing handovers when their rotation occurred during the incident.

Newry Crown Court previously heard that on the day of his death Mr Rogers had been swimming underwater for about a minute before breaking the water's surface.

He then descended to the bottom of the pool and lay there for five minutes and 14 seconds before a rescue attempt was initiated.

He was later pronounced dead.

A coroner said he had lost consciousness due to a lack of oxygen.

David Crawford, who provided training to pool lifeguards on behalf of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council, was among the witnesses giving evidence on Friday.

He said that handovers should usually last 10 to 20 seconds for the lifeguard in the high chair and just a few seconds for the roving lifeguard "but this could be longer depending on what information needed to be exchanged".

The court on Thursday had heard that the handover period on this occasion was much longer than 10 to 20 seconds.

Mr Crawford also said that at the time there was no limit to how long a swimmer was permitted to stay under water, but a new policy has since been introduced.

Retired nurse Mathias Nugent was swimming in the pool on the night of the incident.

He told the court that he recalled a group of young swimmers having a training session at the time.

Taking up a free lane, he began swimming breaststroke lengths above the water.

"I had swam down the lane to the deep end," he said.

"But before I got to the end, this fella emerged in front of me.

"I apologised for being in the lane as I hadn't seen him, but he said he'd been under the water."

Both men continued training, the court heard.

Mr Nugent told the court he "saw him underneath the water again, stretched out - maybe five yards from the wall".

"I presumed it was some sort of training," he added.

"I told a man who was working at the side of the pool if he was aware of the man and he said he was.

"I then saw a man I now know to be Mr [Wayne] Dougan pulling this man to the side of the pool."

Mr Dougan was the next witness in court on Friday. He said he had attended the swimming pool for a number of years.

"I'd seen Christopher before but didn't know him," he said.

"I'd seen him doing breathing exercises before, underneath the water.

"He'd sit at the deep end appearing to be holding his breath.

"On the night in question when I was swimming, I thought it was unusual he was under so long.

"So I went over to him and and he put his thumb up at me.

"Another swimmer [Mr Nugent) came up and said it was unusual."

Mr Dougan said that at one stage he was aware "one of the lifeguards had run quickly around the pool".

He said the lifeguard seemed concerned and "started to bang the ladder with a pole".

"I'm now aware his name is Cathal [McVeigh]," he added.

"I asked him, I think, will I check on him?

"I believe he said 'check on him'. I swam towards him.

"I grabbed Christopher who seemed to be lifeless.

"I came up and shouted for help. I dragged Christopher to the surface. The lifeguard [Cathal McVeigh] jumped in.

"We pushed him out of the pool."

A statement from the leisure centre's receptionist Mary Conlon was also read to the court.

In it, she described attempts to save Christopher Rogers' life.

"I phoned an ambulance and someone took the defibrillator to the pool," she said.

"The ambulance arrived pretty quickly and the paramedics went to the side of the pool.

"The family were contacted and a young lad about 17 arrived, then the mother and then the father."

In her statement, Ms Conlon said Christopher Rogers' mother said "he always does this, he stays under water too long".

Sue Coulter, who was helping out with a children's session of Armagh City Swimming Club also gave evidence.

She said there were 12 children swimming that night.

She said two of the children had been upset when they saw Mr Rogers at the bottom of the pool, but that another had swum down and said everything was okay.

Later she said: "I saw a public swimmer swim down and bring Chris Rogers up.

"I didn't notice what the lifeguards were doing, as I was going down the pool to get the children out.

"A few weeks before, Chris had asked if he could return to the club as a coach.

"He would've been a really good coach."

Mr Rogers was taken to Craigavon Area Hospital, but was pronounced dead the following morning.

The trial continues on Monday.