Project manager found guilty of manslaughter

Grant Prior 8 years ago
Share

A site manager has been found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence after a woman walking past a construction site died when three window frames weighing more than half a ton fell on her.

Lawyer Amanda Telfer was crushed to death by falling window frames
Lawyer Amanda Telfer was crushed to death by falling window frames

Lawyer, Amanda Telfer, 43, was crushed to death in August 2012 in Mayfair when the large unsecured frames toppled over.

Kelvin Adsett, 64, of Slough, Berkshire was convicted at the Old Bailey on Thursday of manslaughter by gross negligence and safety offences.

Adsett was the on-site project manager for IS Europe Ltd.

Damian Lakin-Hall, 50, of Cobham, Surrey was convicted of safety offences. He was acquitted of manslaughter.

IS Europe Ltd of Slough, Berkshire was convicted of safety offences.

The convictions follow an investigation by the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command with the assistance of the Health and Safety Executive.

Adsett and Lakin-Hall were bailed to appear at the same court for sentencing on 5 May.

Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Chalmers said: “The individuals and company who were convicted in this tragic case had a laissez-faire attitude to health and safety and did not take their obligations seriously.

“Each had a responsibility for the safety of the construction site but failed to deal with a basic task that very obviously then presented a serious hazard.

“Amanda died four-and-a-half years ago and this has been an incredibly long and complex case to bring before the courts with many many hours of enquiries carried out by my team.

“Her death was completely avoidable and it is satisfying for all involved in this case – and especially Amanda’s family – that the jury have convicted these people and companies today.

“Prosecutions such as this are so important in enforcing adherence to health and safety laws. This tragic case proves just why employers and employees should take their obligations to safeguard workers and the public seriously.”

Telfer, a freelance intellectual property and media lawyer, was walking along the pavement past a construction site in Hanover Square, W1 when three large unglazed window frames, together weighing 655kg, fell on her.

She died at the scene from massive crush injuries.

The window frames – one around 3.2m square and two approximately 3.3m x 1.8m – had been delivered the previous day as scheduled but couldn’t be fitted immediately due to other delays on site.

They were left on the pavement overnight, leaning against the building. No efforts were made to secure them and no barrier placed around them.

No checks were made on them when the individual defendants arrived on site the next morning.

As Telfer walked past, it is believed a door in the building blew open in the wind, hitting the frames and causing them to topple.

A worker inside tried to grab them but they fell, crushing her underneath.

Lakin-Hall told officers at the scene the frames had been secured to the wall with a ratchet strap – evidence showed that had never been the case.

Barry and Ann Telfer, Amanda’s parents, said following the verdict:

“Amanda was a bright lovely professional woman living her life to the full and making plans for the future. Her future was taken from her when she was crushed to death by half ton window frames which took two seconds to fall on her.

“The frames had been left standing, almost vertically, at the side of a public pavement, unsecured to anything, unattended and with no safety barriers around them.

“If construction companies and the people who work for them are not held to account for such high levels of negligence and incompetence then none of us is safe walking the streets next to construction sites. The Health and Safety training being given is totally inadequate, if risk of death to passers-by is ignored.”

Latest news

Breyer Group battles for survival as rivals circle

Housing maintenance firm fights three winding up petitions in a month
3 hours ago

Careys facing £2.4m claim by developer over demolition cartel

Giant Hong Kong developer claims it was overcharged on Lots Road Power Station job
3 hours ago

Lendlease Construction renamed Bovis

US private equity firm completes £35m purchase of UK contracting business and rebrands
2 hours ago

Multiplex profit drops a third as revenue rises to £780m

Spate of new orders sets contractor up for three years of work
2 hours ago

Galliford Try and Breheny land latest Sizewell C road deals

More infrastructure deals for new nuclear power station
19 hours ago

Worker trapped in collapsed septic tank pit

Contractor and director fined after worker suffers multiple fractures
3 hours ago

Homes England buys stalled Broad Marsh site

Demolition to finally be completed as developer hunt begins
15 hours ago

Vistry go-ahead for 353 homes at Rochester Riverside

Work to start on next phase of Kent town regeneration at end of this year
1 day ago

M&E firm J S Wright collapsed owing £19m

Trade creditors hit for £11.4m by employee-owned Midlands firm
1 day ago

Right to work checks to be extended to self-employed

Government plans crackdown on illegal working and rogue employers
1 day ago

Midlands developer turns to London with £1bn resi schemes trio

SevenCapital plans 1,000 flats in Kensington, Islington and the Isle of Dogs projects
1 day ago

Deck falls off huge scissor lift at Winvic site

Two men seriously injured as platform plunges to the ground
4 days ago

Weston targets Build to Rent with new division

Weston Partnerships signs first deals with asset managers and councils
1 day ago

Bouygues seals deal for £119m Cardiff college campus

Construction to start in June on two new buildings
4 days ago

£140m cash injection to speed-up flood defence schemes

Funding part of £2.65bn investment over the next two years
1 day ago

Bid race starts for £15bn schools framework refresh

DfE throws framework open to more contractors
4 days ago

Berkeley’s £600m Borough Triangle project approved

Controversial scheme features two towers of 38 and 44-storeys
5 days ago

London Mayor calls in blocked 600-bed student scheme

Refused 20-storey London PBSA block may still be built
4 days ago

HG to build 500-bed London Stratford student scheme

Work will start later this year subject to gateway 2 safety approval
5 days ago

Arrest after pedestrian death on construction site

Tragedy during site preparation works for new Wigan car park
4 days ago

British Steel threatens closure of Scunthorpe blast furnaces

Chinese owners say sectional steel and rail supplies will be maintained
5 days ago

Planning green light for Sheffield warehouse site

Existing factories to be demolished in new scheme for Rula Developments
4 days ago

New rail property company to unlock land for 40,000 homes

First four sites released in Newcastle, Cambridge, Manchester, and Nottingham
5 days ago

Drainage specialist Subscan files administration notice

Specialist employing 131 people files court notice
5 days ago

Four win Network Rail £300m engineering design deal

Eastern region deal will include design for Northern Powerhouse Rail
5 days ago

Funding go-ahead for Banwell bypass after fresh cost hike

Galliford Try contract rises £14m to £64m after final design change
5 days ago

Graham wins Southport £75m Marine Lakes Centre

Firm replaces Kier which parted ways with backer Sefton Council
5 days ago

Chancellor unveils extra £2bn capital spend a year

Construction promised a defence dividend in military base and homes upgrade work
6 days ago

McLaren confirms subcontractor team on £135m warehouse job

Work starts on TN2 Gateway site in Kent.
6 days ago

Vistry profits slump after site costs reporting debacle

House builder launches internal whistle-blowing service in business culture review
6 days ago

Contractor services