“Given these findings, the charge has not been proven and is therefore dismissed.”

Six children died in the Hillcrest Primary School jumping castle tragedy on 16 December 2021. Source: AAP / Bianca De Marchi

Gamble ‘terribly sorry’; families ‘shattered’

Outside the court, Gamble’s lawyer, Bethan Frake, read a statement acknowledging the profound impact the tragedy has had on numerous families and individuals, which Gamble “deeply accepts.”

They said the system “doesn’t just fail our families, it fails justice itself”.

Georgie Burt (center) — Zane Mellor’s mother, one of the six children who perished in the tragedy. Families voiced their anger and surprise at the court’s verdict. Source: AAP / Ethan James

Andrew Dodt, the father of Peter Dodt, said he had been broken for a long time.

Earlier inside the courtroom after the decision was handed down, Burt yelled at Gamble: “I hope you see them every time I miss a birthday, miss a Christmas.”

The magistrate’s decision

It had been alleged Gamble had only used pegs at four of the castle’s eight anchor points, despite the manufacturer’s instructions recommending eight.

Andrew Dodt (right), whose son Peter died in the accident. He said the decision left the hopes of families “shattered”. Source: AAP / Ethan James

Her lawyer Chris Dockray had argued she had been left out to dry by the castle’s Chinese manufacturer.