Posts Tagged ‘Crown Court’

The first Corporate Manslaughter case in the UK has been adjourned due to the ill health of the Defendant.

The case started on Tues 23 Feb at Bristol Crown Court where the Judge directed that it would be unfair to expect the defendant to appear in such a state of ill health.

The CEO of Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings faces Corporate Manslaughter and Gross Negligence Manslaughter charges over the death of a worker in 2008.

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The first Corporate Manslaughter case starts in Bristol Crown Court today.

We reported on the particulars to the case the other day.

Watch this space

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The countrys first corporate manslaughter case starts at Bristol Crown Court on the 23 Feb 2010.

Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings, and its director Peter Eaton, faced Stroud Magistrates Court in Sept 2009 for gross negligence manslaughter over the death of a young geologist in Gloucestershire in September of 2008.

The landmark charge was recorded against the company, the court heard, because of the way in which the organisations activities were managed or organised, caused the death of a person, namely Alexander James Wright by gross negligence, which amounted to a gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed to the deceased, contrary to section 1 of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.

The company faces an unlimited fine and Mr Eaton, who is charged with gross negligence manslaughter under common law, faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The prosecution is the first brought under the Corporate Manslaughter Act 2007, which aimed to made it easier for firms to be brought to justice over the death of their employees.

Alexander Wright was taking soil samples from a development site near Stroud when the pit he was working in collapsed, killing him.

Well, here we are again at the debate over knife crime sentencing.

The Tories have called for 2 Years for anyone carrying. How will it work? Where will the prison places come from? And how will the Criminal Justice System cope?

We are in a very difficult place if we take this guideline literally. Currently a citizen is allowed to carry a blade as long as the cutting edge is 3 inches or less and the blade folds into the handle but doesn't lock.

If we look at the case of the Crown Court Judge who pulled out a small knife during a knife crime trial then under proposed plans he should have been locked up for 2 years? Our law is written in such a way that it is able to be interpreted and anyone can interpret the law.

The police will say that even if they discovered such a weapon the carrier would have to have reasonable excuse or lawful authority to be carrying. This obviously relies on the police stopping and searching and then finding a weapon. Realistically the only chance of being stopped and searched is late at night or in a high crime area or between the ages of 18-25. We don't see beat bobbies getting to know communities or the people within them. Only the police have stop and search powers so if its only the people who fall into the above groups who are likely to be stopped and searched how is a difference going to be made? The police do have a difficult job so its up to the politicians to stop posturing and increase police numbers and get bobbies back on the beat in communities winning trust and confidence. Let's have some Chief Constables who come out of their ivory towers every now and then and actually take pride in helping communities instead of meeting targets and deadlines. Yes it will be difficult but trust is earned and good communication skills and building rapport will show results.

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Gloucestershire company Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings has become the first firm in the UK to be charged under the new corporate manslaughter laws.

It’s over the death of Alexander Wright on 5 September 2008. Mr Wright, a junior geologist, was taking soil samples inside specially-dug pit when the sides collapsed and crushed him.

The case is being heard on the 23 Feb 2010 at Bristol Crown Court.

This is a press cutting highlighting why we think that Breakaway and Disengagement is an absolutely farcical way to introduce physical skills into the Door Supervision sector.

A RECKLESS reveller who hurled a broken bottle at a bar after being refused entry by door staff has narrowly avoided a spell behind bars.

Drunken Sam Gilbert threatened door staff with the jagged beer bottle before throwing it at the doors.The bottle smashed, and a sharp shard of glass hit a girl customer who was standing nearby.Victim Jade Birkett suffered heavy bleeding from the deep cut to her right hand, but did not need hospital treatment.

A judge told Gilbert, 19, it was lucky no-one was seriously injured in the incident, which happened in Hartlepool’s busy Church Street in the early hours of March 27. Teesside Crown Court heard that Gilbert had been repeatedly refused entry to Kal’s Bar earlier that night after turning up drunk and with a torn blood-stained jumper.

He tried to get in again at around 2.15am and fell over after the door supervisor blocked his way. Prosecutor Richard Parcell said: “He stood up holding a beer bottle which was smashed and approached the doorman with the jagged part in a threatening manner. “The doors were closed on him but the defendant threw the broken bottle towards the door.”It smashed further and injury was caused to a customer who was hit by the bottle on the right hand which she had raised to protect her face.”

Doormen overpowered Gilbert and kept him pinned down until police arrived.

He later told officers he did not remember anything about the incident.Gilbert, of Coleridge Avenue, Hartlepool, later admitted affray and actual bodily harm.