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Deaths
in 2001
Deaths in 2001 Click on the names below for further case details
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FURTHER DETAILS OF DEATHS Colin Baker
Colin,
a driver for a Blackpool Transport Services, died after being crushed
by a bus as he was crossing the yard at the bus depot. It heard that Colin had brought his bus in for refueling at the depot on a dark, wet and blustery evening. He set off walking across the yard and vehicle cleaner Anthony Wilson said he saw Mr Baker, wearing dark clothing, take evasive action as a double decker swung out of a parking bay towards him. Colin stumbled and went under the wheels. The jury called on the the company to improve safety in the yard. they suggested that it should improve the lighting at the depot, consider providing reflective clothing for all employees and allow more time for drivers to check in and out. A refueler,
John James, had told the inquest that everybody who worked full time in
the yard had to wear reflective clothing but the drivers did not. Bus
driver Mervyn Ford said drivers had five minutes from clocking in to get
a bus ready to go out. He said many drivers would consew2uenlty take short
cuts across the yard rather than walk around the protective walkways and
pedestrian crossings. Peter Vause
Peter was a novice diver who drowned in a dive while on a training course, when he got into difficulties. Staff from the local diving school were involved in a rescue operation but were unable to save him. A manslaughter charge by gross negligence and health and safety charges were brought against Simon Weaver a diving instructor. The Pleas and Directions hearing was held at Preston Crown Court on 19 April 2004 and the trial was completed on 13 April 2005. Mr Weaver was cleared of the manslaughter charges when the prosecution offered no evidence. He pleaded guilty to a breach of Health and Safety regulations in that he failed to take reasonable care for the health and safety of others and was fined £500. Blackpool and Fylde College and its nautical campus head John Matthews pleaded guilty some time previously to a breach of health and safety.
David Procter
David, a
self employed farm worker, was driving a tractor over a steep and narrow lane when
it overturned causing him fatal head injuries. Edith Watson
Edith, a
cancer stricken pensioner, died after falling out of bed and breaking
her arm at Dove Court where she had gone for respite care. The inquest heard from pathologist Dr Walid Salman that the fracture Edith sustained in the fall did not cause her death but may have contributed to it.
Harold Matthews
Harold, a maintenance engineer at Camelot Theme Park in Charnock Richard, died from multiple injuries after being struck by a rollercoaster while carrying out maintenance work. The ride,
known as the 'Gauntlet', had broken down earlier in the day due to the
wet conditions and Harold was greasing the track with diesel to make
the ride go faster
Michael Sharman
Michael died
from injuries after falling off a ladder while working on a truck at
the Leyland Trucks premises. Emma Farrar
Emma, a a pupil with moderate to severe learning difficulties at Park School, drowned during a swimming lesson at The Woodlands School. Emma had been one of 11 pupils attending the lesson which was supervised by four adults, including the swimming instructor, Mrs Pauline Mills. Emma went under the water during a period of free play at the end of the lesson. Her body was not discovered for 15 minutes. An inquest was to take place at Blackpool and the Fylde Coroner's court but no
date was set, pending manslaughter charges against teacher and swimming instructor Pauline Mills. The swimming instructor had denied manslaughter. Mrs Mills was also cleared of health and safety breaches, along with Keith Berry, the former headteacher at Park School. The case against them collapsed when the prosecution offered no further evidence. Blackpool Borough Council had already admitted exposing people to health and safety risks. Emma's mother, Samantha Ogden, was unhappy with the court's decision, saying, 'How can a little girl go to school and die during a swimming lesson, and nobody is to blame? I am very surprised by the verdict at court. It is all too much to take in at the moment. I am absolutely disgusted. I am outraged that something like this has happened.'
Ian Ward
Ian, an employee at a waste recycling centre, died in hospital as a result of a blood clot in the brain following a fall from a working platform. Inquiries by the Health and Safety executive and police were carried out to determine how he fell from a working platform or ladder onto a concrete floor 1.5 metres below.
Christine Dew-hurst
Christine died from injuries after being kicked in the head by a horse at an equestrian competition at the Osbaldeston Hall Farm Riding Centre, Mellor. The inquest was held at Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Coroner’s Court on 11 April 2002. A verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.
Bernard,
a mechanic for a transport company, died when he was crushed between a
26-tonne horse box and steel pillar after he left the vehicle in gear
without the handbrake on.
Bernard was attempting to repair a faulty compressed air valve in the
driver's suspension when this took place A verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.
Robert Gillies
Robert, a
trainee bricklayer, died after a wall collapsed upon him whilst installing
double glazing for his brother-in-law. At the inquest,
the Health and Saferty Eexecutive inspector stated, 'In my opinion, effective support to the
brickwork should have been provided by using special prop rods which are
readily available. In my opinion, the brickwork collapsed because the
correct support had not been provided.' David Lord
David,
an employee at a car insulation firm, died when he became trapped in machinery
which he was maintaining. The inquest had been delayed because of police and Health and Safety Executive investigations. Staff giving evidence said they would stand inside a large rotating drum to clean the slowly-moving rollers with an air hose. Worker David Ellis said he refused to clean the machine as he was frightened after once getting his foot crushed by a roller. Staff had no health and safety training and no risk assessments had been carried out, the jury heard. James Corbridge, specialist inspector for the HSE, said, 'If someone said to me, 'Is it okay to do that?' I would say no. I never felt there was a justification for someone standing in there. The problem is once this thing has grabbed you there is no way out. If you get caught in the roller it will cause you quite significant injury and in this case resulted in death.' After the inquest, David's widow Amanda Lord said, 'It was an accident waiting to happen. It was something that should have been seen to before.' The family said they had received compensation and an apology from the company, which admitted liability.
Shaun Riley
Shaun, a dumper driver for Chorley-based Ruttle Plant Hire, was working alone in remote fields at Heskin Hall Farm, Wood Lane, when he became trapped under his dumper truck. He is believed to have been driving the truck when it turned over, trapping him under tons of earth. Shaun was unconscious at the scene, but paramedics managed to revive him, before rushing him to the Royal Preston Hospital in an air ambulance. Shaun died later the next day from his injuries. An inquest was held at Preston
and West Lancashire Coroner's Court on 3 September 2003 when a verdict of 'Misadventure' was returned.
James Fleming
James, a
construction worker, fell off a small scaffold whilst installing a fridge
and succumbed to his injuries. Wayne Pablo
Wayne, a mechanic, fell 30 feet from the roof of his new workshop in Feniscliffe Drive on 3 April 2003. Wayne died over two weeks later in hospital from his injuries. Wayne fell through the roof while watching his dad Raymond carry out repairs. The fall left him with multiple injuries. Although surgery to drain a blood clot from his brain was carried out his family was told that he would not awaken from his coma.
Darren Brownbill
Darren, a scaffolder from Warrington, died after falling through a fragile roof light while working on an extension to the warehouse operated by Unichem PLC on Walton Summit, Preston.
He was airlifted to hospital but died from his injuries. In April 2007 three companies and two individuals were fined a total of £68,000 and ordered to pay £40,407 costs at Preston Crown Court after being prosecuted by HSE. Ian Connor, Acting Principal Inspector for the HSE, said, 'This was a tragic incident in which a man lost his life in circumstances that could so easily have been prevented. The dangers presented by fragile roof materials have been well known for many years, yet were not taken into consideration in this case. 'Considerable time had been spent planning the job and any one of those involved had the opportunity to realise that somebody could fall through the warehouse roof. Simple steps could then have been taken to prevent this death. If this had been done, Darren would still be alive today.' (The following were charged: * Darren's employer Telford Tower & Scaffolding Ltd of Castle Trading Estate, Priorslee, Telford, Shropshire pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSW Act). The company was fined £35,000 and ordered to pay £20,000 costs
Clive Moss
Clive, an auto-electrician, had been working on a 12.5 tonne 51-seater Volvo coach. After Clive had started the engine it started to move forwards and he and other workers at the garage tried to stop it. Clive tried to get inside the coach but the doors had closed because the handbrake was off. The coach was too heavy to stop and Clive was crushed to death between the coach and another vehicle. An inquest was held at Blackburn, Hyndburn, Ribble Valley Coroner's Court on 29 October 2003. 'The coach had built up so much momentum and was so heavy it was absolutely impossible to stop,' said David Allan one of Clive's colleagues. Dr Richard Prescott, pathologist at Blackburn Infirmary, said the cause of death was traumatic head injury. Health and Safety Inspector David Shorrock said the pressure in the coach's breaking system would have dropped while it had been stood for 36 hours before the incident, causing the brakes to come on even though the handbrake was off. 'I'm suggesting with the handbrake off Mr Moss got underneath the engine compartment to manually move the started motor. As a result of starting the coach the pressure then built but the handbrake was off and the coach itself thinks it's moving, so the door closed.'
Andrew Hough
Andrew was directing a reversing brewery lorry on to a ramp at the Trawlboat pub in St. Annes, Cheshire, when he became trapped between the reversing wagon and a gate. He died from his injuries later that day. The jury heard how Andrew, the driver's mate, alighted from the Mercedes wagon to open the gate for the delivery, while the driver reversed it slowly up a narrow driveway alongside the pub. In a statement the driver told how Andrew disappeared from view in both his rear view mirrors, then reappeared and stumbled to the floor.
Cockle Pickers 23 Chinese migrant workers died gathering cockles in Morecambe Bay and were cut off by the tide and drowned on the night of 5 February 2004. The Home Office had been warned in 2003 about the problems posed by illegal cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay. The migrants were unable to speak English and under the control of gang masters. The Morecambe MP Geraldine Smith had warned about the area's dangerous currents and quicksands and asked the Immigration Service to be involved. Ms Smith said that, despite Home Office claims, no action took place against illegal cocklers in Morecambe Bay the previous August. The information she was given had 'deliberately set out to deceive'. Immigration minister Beverly Hughes conceded there had been inaccuracies. David Anthony Eden, 62, and his son David, 34, were charged with facilitating the offences. Lin Mu Yong, 31, was also charged with facilitation. On 24 March 2006, after a six month trial at Preston Crown Court, Lin Liang Ren was found guilty of 21 counts of manslaughter, guilty of conspiracy to commit facilitation (a criminal offence of enabling illegal immigrants to work in this country) and guilty of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. The gangmaster, girlfriend Zhao Xiao Qing and cousin Lin Mu Yong were also convicted of facilitation - helping cocklers to break immigration laws. Lin Mu Yong, 31, was sentenced to four years and nine months. Zhao Xiao Qing, 21, got two years and nine months. David Eden senior and David Eden junior were both found not guilty of facilitating the offences. When they have served their sentences the Home Office will have to decide whether or not to deport the trio. Passing sentence, Mr Justice Henriques said Lin Liang Ren had, 'cynically and callously' exploited his countrymen and women and provided them with dreadful living conditions. He said the gangmaster had been motivated by avarice and displayed little regard for the safety of the cocklers. He described how Lin Liang Ren had waited 50 minutes before alerting the authorities to the impending disaster. He said, 'Had you even then decided to evacuate the beach, there might have been no loss of life.' Lin Liang Ren had also told a series of 'spectacular lies' to authorities in a bid to evade justice and displayed complete indifference to the fate of the victims, the judge said. He had attempted to blame everyone but himself for the deaths of the illegal Chinese workers. Speaking after the hearing, Det Supt Mick Gradwell, who led the Lancashire Police investigation, said the force was pleased with the sentences. 'I think they reflect the seriousness of the offences and I'm hoping they will act as a deterrent to other people,' said Mr Gradwell. 'I hope lessons have been learned but it's not about just cockle pickers, it's the whole issue of illegal immigration. It's a truly awful type of slave trade, exploiting people in this way,' he added. Outside court, ex-councillor Patricia England said there was an 'element of racism' about the fact all three Chinese defendants were convicted. There were also accusations of racism over the fact the two English defendants had been acquitted. Ms England said, 'There is an element of racism here, justice here is more from our point of view, from our situation and our society, not from theirs.' Gina Tam, translating on behalf of the brother of Lin Mu Yong, said the three defendants had been made 'scapegoats'. She said, 'I think the Government is responsible, they knew they were there. This looks like a racist system to me - the three Chinese all guilty.' The Morecambe MP Geraldine Smith told the inquest that she had warned about the area's dangerous currents and quicksands and asked the Immigration Service to be involved. Ms Smith said that, despite Home Office claims, no action took place against illegal cocklers in Morecambe Bay the previous August. The information she was given had 'deliberately set out to deceive'. Immigration minister Beverly Hughes conceded there had been inaccuracies. Tony Isherwood
Tony, a bricklayer, died after being struck by falling steel decking while the gym was being converted into classrooms at Hutton Grammar School, Preston. Tony was standing nearby when a steel beam was hit by the mast of a fork lift truck, and the steel decking was dislodged. An inquest was held at Preston and West Lancashire Coroner's court on 10 April 2006. A verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned. At Preston Crown Court on March 13 2007 R P Tyson Construction Ltd was fined £16,000 after admitting a breach of health and safety regulations, and was also ordered to pay nearly £6,500 costs The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) warned construction companies to ensure a proper risk assessment is carried out, updated and maintained, during building work. HSE Inspector Roger Jamson said, 'In common with many accidents the death of Mr Isherwood had a number of underlying causes, the identification of any one of these factors would have prevented this tragic incident. 'It is important that anyone in control of a construction site assesses the particular risks involved at their specific site of work and that this is kept up to date as circumstances change.' According to the Health and Safety Inspectorate, the use of a fork lift truck was inappropriate in such a confined area. Also, the company should have created a safety exclusion zone, until all building works on the beams had been completed. Judge Robert Brown said it had been an isolated incident. He was satisfied it was not the consequence of health and safety issues being sacrificed by the company for the sake of profit.
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