Mon, 24 Mar 2014
Emma Shaw, 22, West Bromwich, died of a 240 volt electric shock after negligence by two construction workers, Christopher Tomkins, 52 and Neil Hoult, 53, both from Rowley Regis, Wolverhampton Crown Court has heard.
The Court heard that Miss Shaw turned off the stopcock in her flat to stop flooding, but was unaware that the stopcock had become live after a screw penetrated an electric cable during construction work. She was pronounced dead at Sandwell General Hospital.
An investigation revealed that a screw had gone into a cable during construction, which caused the metal frame in the wall to become charged with electricity.
Tomkins and Hoult, who were employed by Anchor Electrical and Building Services, have both denied breaching Health and Safety at Work regulations by failing to discharge their duty correctly.
Tomkins said he inspected electrical instillations and signed documents to say that it was safe. Hoult then approved Tomkins findings. The court heard that, at the time, Tomkins would not have been qualified for testing installations.
Rex Tedd QC, defending Tomkins, said he had 30 years of practical experience working as an electricians mate, and suggested that there was no way to accurately measure his true ability.
Please click here to read the article reported by the Birmingham Mail and the Express and Star.
Please click here to view the profiles of Rex Tedd QC, Gary Bell QC, Martin Liddiard and Sarah Buckingham
