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Firms fined £50,000 for child's pavement death

9th August 2001, Page 5
9th August 2001
Page 5
Page 5, 9th August 2001 — Firms fined £50,000 for child's pavement death
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Cheshire in June 1999 and the 12 that their health and safety • Two associate companies have been fined a total of £50,000 for breaching health and safety rules after a 12year-old boy was killed by a truck—while tying his shoelaces.

Lorry driver Martin Wrigglesworth, aged 31. who was employed by HJ Lea Oakes of Crewe. was reversing his lorry and was forced to mount the pavement to straighten up when the accident happened.

As he did so he struck Gerard Byrne of Stoke-on-Trent who had stopped on the pavement to tie his shoelaces.

The incident happened in Biddulph Lane, Congleton, -year-old boy died instantly.

A jury at Chester Crown Court was ordered late last month to acquit both director Michael Jepson, and animal feed manufacturers HJ Lea Oakes and associate company Oakes Millers, of corporate manslaughter.

But both companies have now been fined £25,000 each at Chester Crown Court at a new court hearing and ordered to pay £5,000 costs after they pleaded guilty to failing to discharge duties under the Health & Safety at Work Act in connection with the boy's death.

The companies admitted operation had focused more on the usual hazards of carrying out their business of making animal feed rather than vehicle safety.

Mr Nigel Rumfd QC, defending the firms, said they had left the safe use of vehicles to the discretion and experience of their fully qualified lorry drivers.

Judge Christopher Holland said Gerard Byrne had the right to feel confident stopping an a pavement.

Wrigglesworth was fined £1,000 with £50 costs and had six penalty points put on his licence.


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