Three lifeguards face charges after a swimmer’s tragic death at a leisure center in Armagh nearly eight years ago
Armagh: In a heartbreaking case, three lifeguards are in hot water after the tragic death of a young swimmer back in April 2017. Christopher Rogers, just 20 years old, lost his life during a swim at the Orchard Leisure Centre.
On that fateful evening, Christopher was swimming when he suffered a hypoxic blackout. This means he lost consciousness while underwater. The lifeguards on duty that night are now facing serious accusations of not doing their jobs properly.
William Holden, James Monaghan, and Cathal Peter Forrest-McVeigh appeared in court recently, each charged with failing in their duties. The prosecution pointed out that there’s CCTV footage showing the moments leading up to the tragedy.
Christopher was known to be a strong swimmer, often practicing underwater techniques. But on that night, he swam lengths of the pool and, at one point, didn’t resurface. The footage revealed he was underwater for over five minutes before anyone attempted a rescue.
The lifeguards were seen chatting and not paying attention while Christopher struggled. It’s a tough situation, and the prosecution argues that they didn’t act quickly enough. All three lifeguards deny the charges against them.
The trial is expected to last about two weeks, and it’s a painful reminder of the importance of vigilance in such roles. Everyone is hoping for justice for Christopher and his family.
