Sunday, July 12, 2009

PC Harrington fined ВЈ150,000 over Wembley worker death

PC Harrington has been fined ВЈ150,000, following a fatal accident during the construction of Wembley Stadium five years ago.

A platform collapse killed Patrick O’Sullivan and injured a colleague on 15 January 2004.

Harrington pleaded guilty to a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act in April.

It asked not to be hit with too large a fine at the Old Bailey because its “success has taken a downturn” during the past 12 months.

But today a judge at the Old Bailey handed the firm a fine of ВЈ150,000 and ordered it to pay costs of ВЈ25,203 costs.

His Honour Judge Hone said: "The lessons of that day must never be forgotten. It was a terrible accident.

"It was good fortune that more people were not killed. Other people had to scatter as the load came down. The fine needs to be large enough to bring the message home that this is a matter of life and death."

PC Harrington has just 12 months to pay the money, despite asking for a period of 15 months.