Monavon Construction pleaded guilty to the corporate manslaughter of Gavin
Brewer, 32, and Stuart Meads, 34, at the Old Bailey on Monday, 9 May.
Sentencing took place at the Old Bailey on Monday, 27 June.
The company also pleaded guilty to an offence under section 3 of the Health
and Safety at Work Act, namely the failure to discharge duty to a non-employee.
Monavon Construction were responsible for a building site in Netley Street
at the junction with Hampstead Road, NW1. Work had been ongoing at the site for
approximately three years and construction was nearing its conclusion.
Part of the site bordered Netley Street and plywood hoardings had been put
in place there which covered the pavement. On 14 October 2013 work began to
change the hoarding so the pavement could be reinstated. On Friday, 18 October
this work had been completed leaving the hoardings, measuring approximately 4ft
in height, fixed by wooden struts to a wall behind which measured between 130mm
to 280mm in height.
Behind this wall was a drop of approximately 12ft down into a basement
area.
Gavin Brewer and Stuart Meads were walking in Netley Street, NW1 in the
early hours of Saturday, 19 October 2013. Gavin and Stuart were arguing and
scuffling with one another. As the pair walked past the building site they made
contact with the hoarding which gave way, sending both men falling into the
basement area.
Both Gavin and Stuart were pronounced dead at the scene following their
fall.
The Metropolitan Police launched a joint investigation with the Health and
Safety Executive. This investigation found that the hoardings had been fixed in
such a way that only negligible force would have been required to make them
give way.
Monavon was fined £250,000 each for the deaths of Gavin Brewer and Stuart
Meads as well as £50,000 for heath and safety breached. They were also ordered
to pay £23,653 prosecution costs.
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