GROSS NEGLIGENCE MANSLAUGHTER TRIAL UPDATE

GROSS NEGLIGENCE MANSLAUGHTER TRIAL UPDATE

HSE expert tells court that wall was not anchored into footings

It has been reported by the BBC that the trial of a builder accused of the gross negligence manslaughter of three year old Meg Burgess has heard evidence from HSE Specialist Construction Inspector Andrew Rattray who said the wall which collapsed in 2008 was “not anchored into the footings”.

Mr Rattray told the court:
 

“Metal rods had been placed into the hollow blocks which had been filled with concrete, but that was not effective. The wall was not wide or thick enough to act as a gravity or mass wall. It either needed to be wider,
or re-enforcement needed to be anchored into the footings.”

The wall (22m long and nearly 1.6m high) fell in one piece. Mr Rattray added that no measures were taken to keep pedestrians away from the wall while the work was being done.

Builder George Collier from Conwy denies manslaughter and the trial continues at Mold Crown Court.