News

Thu, 21 Oct 2010

First Corporate Manslaughter Trial Delayed

The trial of Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings has been adjourned until January 2011.

The company is the first to be charged under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 following an incident in 2008 which led to the death of Alex Wright who was crushed when the sides of a land trench collapsed on him as he was collecting soil samples.

The company was charged with the offence of corporate manslaughter in April 2009 and the managing director, Peter Eaton, was also charged with gross negligence and another offence under s. 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

The prosecution against Mr Eaton has been permanently stayed because of his ill health.