Posts Tagged ‘Gross Breach’

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.