Deaths in 2001

Deaths in 2002

Deaths in 2003

Deaths in 2004

Deaths in 2005

Deaths in 2006

Deaths in 2001

Click on the names below for further case details

Deaths in 2002

Click on the names below for further case details

Back to Top

Deaths in 2003

No details of deaths available

Back to Top

Deaths in 2004

Click on the names below for further case details

Back to Top

Deaths in 2005

No details of deaths available

Back to Top

Deaths in 2006

Click on the names below for further case details

Back to Top

FURTHER DETAILS OF DEATHS

Roland Bissett

Roland, a farmworker, was crushed by a tree he was felling while coppicing wood.

The inquest was held at Essex (Harlow) Coroner’s Court on 7 August 2001. A verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Agnes Butler

Agnes, a patient at a care home, died of diamorphine poisoning.

The inquest was held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court on 14 March 2002. A verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Nicola Dordoy

Nicola, a patient with a history of depression, was found hanged in her bedroom at the Linden Centre, a mental health unit.

The inquest was held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court on 2 October 2002. Verdict still unknown

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Roger Mann

Roger, a self -mployed worker, died after falling from a ladder on a farm.

The inquest was held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court on 16 April 2002. A verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Tony Clowes

Tony, a nine year old, died of oxygen starvation caused by a blocked airtube while undergoing an operation to have a finger stitched on after an accident.

The blockage in the pipe starved Tony of oxygen as he was being prepared for surgery, but operating theatre staff were unaware of the problem at the time.

The inquest was held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court in May 2003 and the inquest jury returned a unanimous verdict of 'Accidental Death', 'contributed to by system neglect'.

In January 2006 at Ipswich Crown Court, Mid Essex NHS Hospitals Trust was fined £30,000 for failing to ensure Tony's safety and ordered to pay £10,000 in costs

In the case brought by the Health and Safety Executive on Tuesday, the Mid Essex NHS Hospitals Trust pleaded guilty to breaking safety rules.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Lee Hansford

Lee, leaving work on a motorcycle, died after colliding with a mobile crane.

The inquest was to be held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Dean Butler

Dean, a minor, was crushed to death on a quarry conveyor belt after suffering multiple injuries while working on the crushing machine with his brother Danny, 21. He had started work at the quarry three days earlier.

The inquest was held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court in September 2003 when a verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.

In September 2003 Lewis Courtney and James Holland (who had denied involvement in the death) and their company, Clearserve Ltd, were cleared of Dean's manslaughter.

Mr Courtney and Mr Holland and Clearserve Ltd were convicted of two breaches of health and safety legislation. They were fined £39, 750.

Basildon MP Angel Smith said the court's decision was a 'deeply worrying' contradiction. She said, 'The bottom line is that the company's breaches of health and safety legislation were contributing actors to the young man's death. There has got to be serious questions asked about the guidance given by the judge.'

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Franky Vanhondeghem and Peter Coopman

Franky and Peter, seamen from Ostend on a Belgian fishing trawler (Flamingo) out of Zeebrugge, were killed when the trawler capsized off the Essex coast. From a crew complement of four, two bodies are yet to be recovered.

The inquest was held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court on 2 December 2004 when a verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Lee Balkwell

Lee was killed when his head was caught between the rotating drum of a concrete mixer and the vehicle chassis

The inquest was to be held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court on a date yet to be set.

In August 2006 it was announced that the case of Lee's death was to be reinvestigated by police. The news of the reinvestigation follows a four year campaign by Lee's father Les Balkwell for an enquiry into his son's death. The campaign included sending letters and arranging meetings with police and Hornchurch MP James Brokenshire, who took up the case in 2005.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Martin Turner

Martin, an employee of Waterers Landscapes contractors for Southend Council, was killed when his sit-on mower capsized on a slope crushing him.

The grasscutter is believed to have toppled on a slope in Southchurch Hall Park, landing upside down on Martin. Five people passing the scene frantically attempted to lift the sit-down mower off the man, and fire crews battled to keep him alive with emergency treatment. Martin died the next day in hospital from injuries sustained in the incident.

The inquest was held at Southend on Sea and SE Essex Coroner’s Court on 7 March 2003. A verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Terry Jupp

Terry, a chemist who was conducting an experiment at a Ministry of Defence site at Newlands Battery in Shoeburyness, received 60 to 90 per cent burns to his body when the experiment went wrong. He was airlifted to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford before being transferred to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital burns unit. Terry died of septicaemia from his injuries on August 20.

Maurice Marshall who works at Fort Halstead for the Defence Science Technology Laboratory, is accused of causing Terry's death. The Government scientist is said to have ordered Terry to mix a 10kg charge of three chemicals, as part of joint British-American tests, but failed to warn him how dangerous it was.

Following an investigation by the Ministry of Defence Police and the Health and Safety Executive, Marshall was charged over his death. He appeared at the Old Bailey on September 2005 and pleaded not guilty to gross negligence manslaughter. His trial was due to start on 4 September 2006.

In September 2006 a new trial date was set for 16 April 2007 at the Old Bailey.

Charges against Marshall's colleague Robert Weighill, 56, from Sevenoaks, were dropped because of a lack of evidence.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Stephen Fiddy

Stephen, a partner in an engineering firm, died after being crushed by a forklift truck at his premises.

The inquest was held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court on 8 July 2003 when a verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Kevin Smith

Kevin, an off-duty special constable and grain delivery driver, was crushed to death when he was trapped between a forklift truck and a seed cleaning and dressing vehicle on a farm in Colchester.

The inquest was held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court on 29 October 2003 when a verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.

In September 2004 at Chelmsford Crown Court Anglia Grain Services was fined £35,000 after pleading guilty to breaching health and safety regulations.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Paul Turner

Paul was working at the Hoblongs Industrial Estate, Great Dunmow. He was killed when he was crushed by a transport trailer.

The inquest was held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court on 19 October 2004 when a verdcit of 'Accidental Death' was returned.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Brian Lampe

Brian was working for subcontractor, Michael Heinsen, trading as Multi-Man at the time of the accident. He fell 3m from a suspended floor he was helping to dismantle on to a concrete floor at Kent Blaxill’s site in Kirby Cross, near Frinton-on-Sea. Brian died in hospital 18 days later.

The inquest was held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court on 7 April 2005 when a verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.

In a Health and Safety Executive prosecution at Basildon Crown Court, Kent Blaxill pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that someone not in their employment was exposed to safety risks. The company was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay £6,000 costs. Mr Heinsen also faced one charge under health and safety legislation but denied the charges. The jury failed to reach a verdict and the recorder ordered a formal verdict of not guilty.

Delivering the sentence on the company, recorder Shaun Murphy said Kent Blaxill had a good health and safety record, had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and had fully complied with the investigation. He felt the sentence imposed was correct.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to To

Alistair McLean

Alistair was working as a carpenter in Earlscolne when he fell 3 metres. He died four days later.

The inquest was held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court on 19 July 2005 when a verdict of 'Death by natural causes' was returned.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Mathew Aylott

Mathew was strapping 'For Sale' signs onto a van when the strap broke and he fell into the road and was hit by a car and killed.

The inquest was held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court on 9 June 2004 when a verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

Derek Thorburn

Derek Thorburn was killed in an explosion while he was welding a fuel tanker at Manor Road, West Thurrock. The explosion caused the asbestos roof of a warehouse to collapse.

The inquest was to be held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court on a date yet to be set.

A man was due before magistrates on 11 May 2006 to face one count of manslaughter and one count of breaching safety laws. A trial date was set for 15 January 2007.

Back to Table (2001)

Back to Table (2002)

Back to Table (2003)

Back to Table (2004)

Back to Table (2005)

Back to Table (2006)

Back to Top

YME Gashi

Mr Gashi was working in an 8' deep trench, fitting pipe work in London Road, Purfleet, when a digger bucket fell on him, killing him.

The inquest was held at Essex and Thurrock Coroner’s Court on 3 March 2006 when a verdict of 'Death by misadventure' was returned.