A HEADSTONE which fell on to a schoolboy, crushing him to death may have started leaning a decade before the tragedy.

A Fatal Accident Inquiry into the death of Ciaran Williamson heard tree roots growing under the 7ft headstone, dubbed the Ross Memorial, may have been pushing the stone forward for “several years” before Ciaran’s death on May 26, 2015.

The eight-year-old was killed “instantaneously and painlessly” when the stone fell on him in Craigton Cemetery almost two years ago.

Professor John Knapton, an expert structural engineer was asked when he thought the stone, which was leaning at an angle of between six and eight degrees, started to move from its upright position.

He said: “For at least several years. I would be astonished if it had not been leaning 10 years ago.”

Professor Knapton was also asked what he would have done if he had been asked to inspect the memorial based on its condition.

He said: “From the information I would have concluded it was a memorial which was unsafe.

“I would not give it a clean bill of health.”

The inquiry heard previously from Peter Hayman, a member of the National Association of Memorial Masons, who said he would have fenced the stone off immediately had he inspected it prior to the accident.

Dorothy Bain QC, representing Ciaran’s mum Stephanie Griffin, asked if one of the boys jumped from a nearby wall and came in to ‘minimal contact’ with the stone, would it topple.

Professor Knapton replied: The crucial matter is the angle of lean.

“The nearer it gets to eight degrees the more likely it would be.

“If it was right at eight degrees, just landing on the ground it could topple.”

Professor Knapton was asked his opinion on what could happen if the memorial became wobbly and the boys had tried to stabilise it.

Ms Bain asked: “If the boy had tried to prevent the memorial from wobbling, could that have caused [it] to fall?

He replied: “Certainly if he... was hanging on the memorial, certainly climbing on to the memorial would have added to the force which causes toppling.

“Any attempt to stabilise it, climbing in it would be the worst thing to do.”

The inquiry before Sheriff Ruxton continues.