Stunt firm director sentenced over human cannonball death

The director of a stunt firm has been given a 12-month community service order following the death of a human cannonball in front of hundreds of spectators.

Stuntman Matthew Cranch, 24, suffered multiple injuries when a safety net intended to break his fall collapsed as he hurtled to the ground.

He had been fired from a lorry-mounted cannon during Scott May's Daredevil Stunt Show at the Kent County Showground in Detling in April 2011.

Maidstone Crown Court heard a mechanism which triggered the release of the safety net had not been set properly.

An inquest jury last year ruled the death was an accident.

Mr Cranch's boss, 40-year-old Scott May of Stunts UK Ltd, was sentenced after pleading guilty to a health and safety charge.

A judge said his offence was "committed through omission rather than act".

Stunts UK Ltd was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £80,000 costs after a guilty plea was entered on its behalf.

Mr Cranch, of Newquay, Cornwall, had performed the showpiece human cannonball stunt just five times before the tragedy.

In footage shown at the inquest, one of his colleagues was heard giving a "Three, two, one" countdown on the public address system before shouting fire.

Mr Cranch was then seen being propelled from the cannon amid a cloud of pyrotechnic smoke as the safety net in front of him suddenly collapsed.

Despite efforts by medics, he died of his injuries in hospital.

n a victim impact statement read out in court, Mr Cranch's family described him as an intelligent, happy young man with a sense of adventure who loved juggling, unicycles and skateboards.

Prosecutors said Mr May, from St Just near Penzance in Cornwall, had "failed to discharge" his duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of his employees, including Mr Cranch.

They said there had been two previous "near misses" where a stuntman had nearly hit the ground and staff training was "informal".

In mitigation, Tanya Robinson, defending, said Mr May was a "hard-working" family man and was "truly sorry" for Mr Cranch's death.

She told the court: "Mr May considered members of staff like extended family. In the immediate aftermath, he was not even sure that he wanted to carry on with the business.