Missed chances to save rail line teen, jury finds


Roxy Phillips was "blossoming" and "larger-than-life", a family friend said

Warning: The following story contains content some people might find upsetting

A drunken teenage girl was electrocuted on a railway line after police and Network Rail missed opportunities to prevent her death, an inquest jury has found.

Roxy Phillips, 15, fell on to the live rail in Weymouth, Dorset, while she was walking home at night with a friend in March 2023.

A member of the public reported trespassers on the line and the current was switched off, the inquest in Bournemouth heard.

However, the jury questioned actions by Dorset Police, British Transport Police and Network Rail which it said may have caused her death when power was restored.

The inquest heard that just before 01:00 GMT on 23 March, there was a 999 call reporting that two people had walked on to the railway line at Weymouth station.

Power was switched off and Dorset Police went to the scene.

Officers, who did not access the track, reported they could not see or hear anyone and no further search was undertaken.

Just under half an hour later the power was restored, the inquest heard.

A further 24 minutes after that, Ms Phillips' friend phoned 999 to report that she had fallen.

The location was near Redlands Sports Centre, nearly 3km (2 miles) from Weymouth station and about three-quarters of a km (half a mile) from her home in Broadwey.

Recording a conclusion of misadventure, the jury said alcohol was a probable cause of the tragedy while possible factors included the actions of police and emergency services.

It said Dorset Police failed to record reports of the trespassers' vulnerability, did not communicate fully with the other authorities and did not review the incident at a senior level once the track went live.

The jury questioned British Transport Police's "lack of command and control of the incident" and "sufficiency of inquiry... as to the extent of the search".

The force also did not record a request by Dorset Police to attend, it said.

For Network Rail, the jury highlighted "the adequacy of inquiries" about both the trespassers and the extent of the police search.

It concluded: "Roxy died as a result of consuming alcohol and trespassing on an electrified line.

"There were missed opportunities by Dorset Police, British Transport Police and Network Rail to locate Roxy or establish that she was no longer on the tracks before restoring power."

In statements, Network Rail said it would reflect on the inquest, while Dorset Police said it had already reviewed its response plans for railway incidents.

British Transport Police said it had changed its control room processes, strengthened the way it worked with local police forces and made the railway safer in the Weymouth and Upwey areas.

The inquest heard the teenager was excluded from school and had been due in court the day before she died on charges of assaulting paramedics and police.

A previous report by Pan-Dorset Safeguarding Children's Partnership said care authorities missed opportunities to intervene with the teenager.

Family friend Sasha Knott-Fancy previously told the BBC: "She really was a beautiful young lady. She was just blossoming. She was such a huge animal lover... a larger-than-life character."

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story you can visit BBC Action Line.

A mother has vowed to fight for justice for her 15-year-old daughter who was electrocuted on railway tracks, as the coroner says police failings may be to blame.

An inquest into the death of Roxy will be heard by a jury after the senior coroner said there was reason to suspect the acts or omissions of police were causative or contributory to her death.

Roxy died in the early hours of March 23, 2023 after she was electrocuted by the 750 volt third rail on the tracks near Weymouth train station.

A 15-year-old girl was electrocuted on a railway line after communication failures involving police and the track operator, a report has said.

Police officers, responding to a trespass report in March 2023, told their control room they could not see anyone from a bridge.

Track power was then switched back on, despite the lack of a detailed search or oversight by police supervisors, Pan-Dorset Safeguarding Children’s Partnership (PDSCP) said.

She said the girl had previously used the track as a "short cut" and had not been warned of the dangers by authorities.

The teenager, given the pseudonym "Edie" in the report, had complex needs, Ms Holtom said.

She wrote: "Life became difficult for Edie, aged 13 years, following the death of her much-loved horse."

The teenager was excluded by all six mainstream schools in her area, drank to excess and used and sold drugs, according to the report.

In December 2022, Edie went to the railway station "with the intention of hurting herself".

A week before her death, she took an overdose but absconded from hospital.

The report said authorities missed opportunities to intervene following both incidents.

It said the lack of a suitable education for Edie prompted one professional to comment that she had been "set up to fail".

Indeed ... but even if 95% know, the message is worth emphasising for the other 5%.

Very sad, but my concern was their request that everyone should know that the power was permanently on, I was surprised that they had not known this.

My thoughts are with family of the girl

Services through Weymouth have resumed following the death of a person.

The line between Dorchester South and Weymouth was closed from the early hours, affecting Great Western Railway and South Western Railway routes.

It has since reopened but travellers are being warned disruption is expected until about midday.

British Transport Police (BTP) said the death on the railway line in Weymouth was "currently being treated as unexplained".

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "Passengers are advised to check with their train operator for the latest information on alternative travel."

Routes affected:

    Great Western Railway routes between Gloucester / Bristol Parkway / Filton Abbey Wood / Westbury and Weymouth
    South Western Railway routes between London Waterloo / Southampton Central / Brockenhurst / Bournemouth and Weymouth