The parents of a 12-year-old boy killed in a preventable incident at a Staffordshire indoor ski slope have spoken of their devastation after being denied a formal inquest into his death.
Natalie and Chris Watkiss, from Sutton Coldfield, saw their world torn apart when their son Louis died following a collision at Tamworth's SnowDome on September 24, 2021. Nearly four years later, they describe a judicial process marked by delays and mistakes that has left them unable to properly grieve.
A Tragedy Unfolds
Louis had been celebrating at a friend's birthday party when the catastrophic incident occurred. The schoolboy was tobogganing down the slope when Joseph Dibb, the manager on duty, walked onto the course to deal with a lump of ice.
Critical safety failures compounded the tragedy: Dibb wasn't wearing a high-visibility jacket and turned away from approaching toboggans, directly into Louis's path. The collision caused what a pathologist later described as a catastrophic, non-survivable head injury.
Louis, a talented saxophonist who had reached Grade 5 and performed with Birmingham Schools' Jazz Ensemble, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Four-Year Fight for Justice
Since that devastating evening, Louis's parents have fought tirelessly for accountability. A criminal investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) concluded earlier this year with the SnowDome admitting responsibility for Louis's death.
The company pleaded guilty to a breach of section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act and received a £100,000 fine plus £16,000 costs in February 2025. The family described the penalty as ridiculous and a slap on the wrists.
Damning evidence emerged during sentencing that revealed four near collisions and collisions had occurred on the slope in just the 13 days leading up to Louis's death, all captured on CCTV. In one incident, a staff member had to jump out of a toboggan's way.
The HSE stated unequivocally that Louis's death was preventable.
Coroner's Decision and Family Outrage
On November 7, 2025, at South Staffordshire Coroner's Court, Coroner Fiona Gingell declined to hold a formal inquest, stating the HSE investigation had already established who died, when, where and how.
Outside the court, Louis's parents spoke emotionally about their four-year ordeal. It's completely and utterly just ripped us apart, Natalie Watkiss told reporters. We haven't been able to remember Louis for who he was because we just remember him in the system.
Chris Watkiss criticised what he called a farce of an investigation, highlighting multiple failures: The police making up their mind after four days that Louis had done it - a claim Natalie immediately refuted.
He revealed that West Mercia Police, reviewing Staffordshire Police's handling, admitted the wrong task force had been assigned to the case initially. A child protection unit was put on it, Chris said. Without being blunt, there was no child to protect, he was already dead.
The couple also spoke of the impact on their surviving son, who pleaded: Mummy, please when is this going to stop? I'm here and I need you.
Natalie added: We're going to go home now and pick him up. We are going to spend time with him and try to live. And remember Louis, for the legacy that he was.
Despite the coroner's decision, the family vowed to continue fighting for systemic change. It's not the end, Natalie stated. It's the end of what's been a horrific experience and now gives us an opportunity to re-strategise... and become advocates for what we think should have happened in the system.
