Owner of Alton Towers fined £5 million for Smiler crash

Alton Towers operator Merlin Attractions was this morning fined £5 million after admitting health and safety breaches over The Smiler rollercoaster crash.
The penalty was announced In the second day of a sentencing hearing at Stafford Crown Court.
The ruling came after the hearing yesterday heard a car carrying passengers on the Smiler hit a stationary car left on the ride track by error.
The collision was compared to a 1.5 tonne family car being involved in a 90mph crash.
The hearing was told Alton Towers staff waited 17 minutes before dialling 999.
Vicky Balch, then 19, and Leah... read more