Two Men Jailed After Man is Buried Alive on Site
Posted on July 3, 2017
Two men have been jailed three years after a father-of-five from Peterborough was buried alive at a building site.
Single parent Shane Wilkinson, who was 33, was working at a Conquest Homes development at Collyweston near Stamford back in 2014 to earn enough money to buy school shoes for his children.
He had been on site for just a couple of days when a deep trench he was standing near collapsed, burying him underneath the rubble. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following a trial at Northampton Crown Court, site manager and director of Conquest Homes Andrew Winterton was convicted of gross negligence manslaughter and jailed for four years.
Winterton, 52, of High Street, Collyweston, will spend two years in custody and two on licence. He was also ordered to pay more than £90,000 in costs.
It was the first case of its kind of be successfully tried in Northampton.
Winterton had been tried alongside trench digger driver Dean Wortley. The 48-year-old, of Market Deeping in Lincolnshire, was convicted of failing, as a self-employed person, to discharge his duty to ensure the health and safety of persons not in his employment. He was also found guilty of failing to take all practicable steps to prevent danger.
Wortley was given a 12-month sentence. Six months will be spent in custody and the remaining six months on licence. He must pay £20,000 towards costs.
“[Shane Wilkinson’s] death was an avoidable and terrible loss of life due to the gross negligence of Winterton and the dangerous environment created by both him and Wortley.
“Shane’s death could easily have been avoided if Winterton and Wortley had shown any regard for basic safety measures on the site.”
The prosecution was brought following a joint investigation by Northamptonshire Police and the Health and Safety Executive.