Law Weblog

First company charged with corporate manslaughter

Saturday 25 April 2009 at 7:49 am | In News | Post Comment

A company in Gloucestershire is the first to face prosecution under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, which came into effect just over a year ago. The Act holds to account organisations if a workplace death is attributed to the gross failings of managers.

Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings, a geological survey company, is accused of a “gross breach” of duty in connection with the death of Alexander Wright aged 27 who died when a pit collapsed on him while he was taking a soil sample near Stroud in September 2008.

If convicted the company faces an unlimited fine and a judicial “publicity order”, requiring them to advertise their own conviction.

The purpose of the new offence was to try and gain traction on large and medium-sized companies, but this company is quite small.

The case will start at Stroud Magistrates Court on June 17.