Company director sentenced after employee's death fall

Company director sentenced after employee's death fall

06 May 2011

Richard James, 37, sole director of Southern Property Maintenance, was today, Friday 6 May, sentenced at Lewes Crown Court to six months imprisonment suspended for two years, 150 hours community service and a fine of £120,000, with costs of £21,000.

He had been found guilty at Lewes Crown Court last month on four counts of failing to discharge a duty imposed by Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, by failing to ensure the safety at work of his employees,

He had been acquitted of the manslaughter by gross negligence of one of his employees, Shane Offer, 21, of Annweir Avenue, Lancing,  who died after he fell through the roof at Rosebys, in the Peel Centre, Shripney Road in Bognor Regis on  2 June 2009. He was flown to The Royal London Hospital for treatment, but died as a result of his injuries.

Sentencing James, of First Avenue, Worthing,  Judge Lawson said : " It was an avoidable accident and both James and his company failed in their duty to protect the safety of their employees and the public. James was responsible as director of the company for a lack of a health and safety culture amongst his employees"

The prosecution followed an investigation by Sussex Police detectives at Bognor, working in co-operation with the Health and Safety Executive.