Law Weblog

Second Corporate Manslaughter case

Saturday 16 July 2011 at 9:18 am | In News | Post Comment
Lion Steel Equipment Ltd is to be charged with corporate manslaughter under the Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act (CMHA) 2007.   This will be only the second case of corporate manslaughter to reach the courts.
The first hearing is on on 2 August 2011.

The charge follows the death of an employee who fell through a roof at the company’s Hyde headquarters in 2008.

Three of the company’s directors should also be charged with gross negligence manslaughter under the CMHA.

The first case brought under the CMHA, against Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings, failed to provide the insight into likely fine levels due to the company’s “parlous financial state” and resulting fine of £385,000. The Sentencing Guidelines on Corporate Manslaughter (issued in February 2010) suggest that fines would be expected to start from £500,000 and rise into the millions.