Rosepark Care Home Owners Face Court Again

A fresh attempt to mount a prosecution over the deaths of 14 residents in a nursing home fire, has been announced by the Crown Office.

The owners of the former Rosepark Care Home, in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, are to face criminal charges for a third time over the blaze in January 2004.

A new indictment has been served on Thomas Balmer, 61, Anne Balmer, 60, and their son Alan Balmer, 34.

A preliminary hearing is due on 30 October at the High Court in Glasgow.

It follows the decision of the Appeal Court in July 2008 that the Crown could not proceed with a prosecution against the Rosepark Care Home firm because the partnership had been dissolved.

Legal technicality

The Balmers and their son were originally due to stand trial in February 2007 but a judge dismissed the charges over a legal technicality.

Prosecutors launched a legal challenge which the appeal court refused.

The Rosepark fire was one of the worst tragedies in Scotland in recent years.

As well as the death of the 14 residents, several other people were injured when a fire broke out in a downstairs cupboard in the care home.