UK
Ireland
Scotland
London
Construction News
08/10/2012
Builder Sentenced Over Toddler's Death
A Welsh builder has been sentenced to two years in prison after a three-year-old girl was killed by the collapse of a substandard wall.
George Collier was convicted of gross negligence manslaughter at Mold Crown Court in a case brought forward by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Collier had been undertaking work outside a house in Ffordd Penrhwylfa, Meliden in Prestatyn on 26 July 2008 when the incident occurred.
Three-year-old Meg Burgess and her mother, Lindsay Burgess, were walking in front of the wall on a public footpath.
North Wales Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched an investigation, which found the wall had only recently been built.
It was intended as a retaining wall, but had not been designed or built sufficiently for this purpose and subsequently collapsed. The toddler, who was walking behind her mother, was killed.
HSE Inspector Debbie John said: "This was an entirely preventable incident that resulted in the tragic death of an innocent three-year-old girl.
"On the day of the incident George Collier and Parcol Developments Ltd backfilled the wall despite knowing that retaining walls should be designed by a specialist structural engineer. Neither had engaged a structural engineer to design a safe retaining wall."
Rosemary Ainslie, lawyer for the CPS Special Crime division, said: "Mr Collier was responsible for the design and construction of the wall but did not make sure it was built to safe standards, nor did he prevent members of the public from walking past it, with terrible consequences.
George Collier, 49, pleaded not guilty to charges of gross negligence manslaughter December 2011. His company, Parcol Developments pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at the same time.
(IT/GK)
George Collier was convicted of gross negligence manslaughter at Mold Crown Court in a case brought forward by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Collier had been undertaking work outside a house in Ffordd Penrhwylfa, Meliden in Prestatyn on 26 July 2008 when the incident occurred.
Three-year-old Meg Burgess and her mother, Lindsay Burgess, were walking in front of the wall on a public footpath.
North Wales Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched an investigation, which found the wall had only recently been built.
-- Advertisement --
It was intended as a retaining wall, but had not been designed or built sufficiently for this purpose and subsequently collapsed. The toddler, who was walking behind her mother, was killed.
HSE Inspector Debbie John said: "This was an entirely preventable incident that resulted in the tragic death of an innocent three-year-old girl.
"On the day of the incident George Collier and Parcol Developments Ltd backfilled the wall despite knowing that retaining walls should be designed by a specialist structural engineer. Neither had engaged a structural engineer to design a safe retaining wall."
Rosemary Ainslie, lawyer for the CPS Special Crime division, said: "Mr Collier was responsible for the design and construction of the wall but did not make sure it was built to safe standards, nor did he prevent members of the public from walking past it, with terrible consequences.
George Collier, 49, pleaded not guilty to charges of gross negligence manslaughter December 2011. His company, Parcol Developments pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at the same time.
(IT/GK)
Latest Construction News
29/01/2025
Caddick Construction has been awarded a £43 million contract to deliver the first phase of Cole Waterhouse's flagship regeneration scheme in Digbeth, Birmingham.
The project, known as Upper Trinity Street, marks a significant step in the area’s transformation.
Spanning 182,986 square feet, the re
29/01/2025
McLaren Construction has been appointed by O&H Properties to deliver the first phase of a £60 million Foster & Partners-designed development at the corner of New Bond Street and Grafton Street in London’s West End.
The seven-storey, 5,400 square metre prime retail and office scheme will feature ret
29/01/2025
GMI Construction Group has been awarded a contract to develop three high-specification warehouse units totalling over 175,000 square feet at Precedent Drive, Milton Keynes.
The £20 million project, commissioned by DV5 Last Mile Developments (UK) Ltd, a joint venture between Coltham and Delancey Re
29/01/2025
Plans for 106 sustainable new homes in Southville, a neighbourhood in South Bristol, have been approved as the city seeks to increase housing delivery to address growing demand.
Top 10 award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group will create a £60 million development on Raleigh Road, on land that was
29/01/2025
Bouygues UK has reached a major milestone in the fourth phase of the Hallsville Quarter regeneration project in Canning Town, London.
The project, part of the £3.7 billion Canning Town and Custom House Regeneration Programme, recently held a topping out ceremony, marking the completion of the 11-s
29/01/2025
Willmott Dixon Interiors is carrying out a significant upgrade to the roof of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, one of London's most iconic cultural landmarks.
As part of the £12 million project, the company is installing over 23,000 square feet of sun-protected glazing above the museum’s
29/01/2025
Equans has been appointed by Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils to carry out crucial decarbonisation work across the councils' housing stock, using funding secured through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).
The councils used the South East Consortium's Zero Carbon Framework to s
29/01/2025
In the world of construction, the quest for energy efficiency and sustainability is ever-evolving. Among the array of solutions available, EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) insulation stands out as a versatile and effective option for enhancing the thermal performance of buildings, particularly when used f
29/01/2025
BCP Council has completed significant coastal protection works at Hamworthy Park, ensuring its resilience against erosion for the next 20 years.
A 200-metre stretch of sea wall along the eastern promenade has been reinforced using low-carbon concrete, while new steps have been constructed to improv
29/01/2025
Geo-environmental consultancy and remediation contractor, The LK Group, has strengthened its team with a trio of recruits.
The multidisciplinary company's latest raft of hires comprises a new director, associate director and remediation manager.
The geo-environmental specialist, headquartered i
