Sussex business owner spared jail after death of workman
Company owner, Simon Briggs from Danehill, admitted to corporate manslaughter
The owner of a demolition firm from Sussex has been spared jailed after a worker died when a roof and wall collapsed on top of him in Birmingham.
Labourer Oleksander Rudyy was crushed when the structure collapsed on him at the site in Vittoria Street, Hockley, on 8 May, 2019.
Other workers managed to help a second man out from under the rubble, but 49-year-old Mr Rudyy was pronounced dead at the scene.
A joint investigation by West Midlands Police and Health and Safety Executive has now seen Stonehurst Estates Limited, the company overseeing the work, admit corporate manslaughter.
The firm along with its owner Simon Briggs and site manager Vasyl Bychkov, also admitted contravening health and safety regulations.
On Thursday 15th February at Birmingham Crown Court, the company was fined ÂŁ450,000 with ÂŁ167,000 in court costs.
Briggs, aged 61, of Danehill, was sentenced to a 23-week jail term suspended for 18 months, and a community work order of 100 hours.
Bychkov, aged 45, of Victoria Rise, Clapham, London, was given a 135-hour community work order.
Rosemary Ainslie, Head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said: “Although he was not onsite when this tragedy took place, as director of Stonehurst Estates, Simon Briggs owed a duty of care to Mr Rudyy for any work carried out.
“He and his company failed to plan and carry out the demolition safely, which led to tragic consequences where a man needlessly lost his life.
“As site manager on the day in question, Vasyl Bychkov, who had no expertise in demolition, asked Mr Rudyy to undertake a task that lacking sufficient expertise, was inherently dangerous. He failed to take reasonable care for the health and safety of labourers working at the site.
“Our thoughts remain with Mr Rudyy’s family and friends at this time.”