Director stands accused

A company director is facing the prospect of life imprisonment after becoming the first person to be charged under a new corporate manslaughter law.

Peter Eaton, a director of Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter in relation to the death of Alexander Wright, a junior geologist employed by the company.

Mr Eaton, who faces charges both as an individual and as a representative of the company, is the first person to be charged under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, which came into force in April 2008.

Andrew Stokes, partner at Beachcroft LLP, says: “This case stresses the importance of organisations taking the opportunity to review management systems as well as their health and safety procedures. A conviction for gross negligence manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, while a conviction for corporate manslaughter against an organisation attracts an unlimited fine—considering that the HSE recorded 228 fatal accidents at work since April 2008, this should be a huge concern for employers.

“A number of corporate manslaughter investigations are presently under way and I’ve no doubt that this case is just the beginning.”