Director on manslaughter charge after toddler’s death

Grant Prior 14 years ago
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The Crown Prosecution Service has decided that construction director George Collier should be charged with gross negligence manslaughter following the death of Megan Burgess in Prestatyn, Wales in 2008.

Megan, aged three, was killed when a wall designed by Collier and built by his company, Parcol Developments Limited, collapsed on to a public footpath in Ffordd Penrhwyfla.

Rosemary Ainslie, reviewing lawyer for the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “I have carefully reviewed all of the evidence gathered by North Wales Police and the Health and Safety Executive during their thorough investigation into the tragic death of Megan Burgess in July 2008.

“After considering reports from experts on construction standards and advice from counsel, I have decided that George Collier should be charged with gross negligence manslaughter for his role in designing and constructing the wall that collapsed.

“Mr Collier has been summonsed to appear at Prestatyn Magistrates’ Court on 3 October 2011.

“I have also decided that Parcol Developments Limited, of which Mr Collier was a director, should be charged with an offence under Section 3 of the Health and Safety Act at Work 1974.

“I did consider whether Parcol Developments should also be charged with corporate manslaughter.

“There is sufficient evidence to prosecute the company for this offence, but it would not be in the public interest to do so.

“The company had only two directors and Mr Collier was the only one directly involved in this incident. The charge against him is sufficiently serious to address the alleged offending.”

Senior Investigating Officer Mark Abbott of North Wales Police said: “The family have been kept fully updated throughout the investigation and they have been informed of this decision.

“This remains a difficult time for the family and they request that their privacy is respected.”

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