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12
July 2001
Notice of Corporate Manslaughter Trail
This is to inform you that the trial of:
- H.J.Lea Oakes Ltd:
- Oakes Millers Ltd, and
- Mr Michael Jepson (a director
of both companies)
for the manslaughter of
12 year old Gerard Byrne who died on 22 June 1999 starts
on:
on Monday 17 July
2001, [delayed from 16 July]
at Chester Crown Court, court 1
time 10.30 am
The defendant companies operate
an animal feed mill at Congleton in Cheshire. Mr Jepson
is the Operations Director with concern for health and
safety
Gerard Byrne died when an articulated lorry reversed
out of these premises. The indictment states that the
defendants:
(i) Failed to act
upon or implement advice given by the Health and Safety
Executive on 1st April 1992 to prevent vehicles reversing
out of the premises onto the highway without the assistance
of the banksman.
(ii) Failed to act upon or implement their own Health
and Safety Policy and Safe Vehicle Reversing Guide.
(iii) Failed to identify in their own risk assessment
on 11th May 199 and to reduce the serious and obvious
risk to members of the public by reversing unaided
articulated heavy good vehicles fm the mill premises
onto Biddulph road.
(iv) Caused or permitted the driving of the Fourth
Defendant to be undertaken by reversing and not driving
forwards and doing so without the assistance of a
trained banksman.
Notes to Editor
- The Centre for Corporate
Accountability aims to increase worker and public
safety through promoting law enforcement and increased
corporate accountability. It is funded by the Joesph
Rowntree Charitable Trust
- The Centre's "Work-related
Death Advisory Service" has provided advice
to the parents of Gerard Byrne on corporate accountability
issues.
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