Company boss admits manslaughter of employee

From the Daily Echo, first published Friday 7th Jul 2006.

A SOUTHAMPTON businessman today avoided a prison sentence after admitting the manslaughter of an employee at his factory.

Michael Shaw, 45, changed his plea to guilty to the killing through gross negligence of David Bail, 22, at the Change Of Style premises in Totton in May 2003.

Mr Bail was crushed to death in a stone cutting machine which had vital safety features disabled.

This morning Shaw received a two-year suspended prison sentence which enabled him to walk out of court.

Shaw had denied the charge during a three-week trial at Winchester Crown Court that finished with the jury deadlocked on Wednesday.

Sentencing, the judge, Mr Justice Owen, told him: "The fact I have suspended the sentence that I have imposed upon you was solely the consequence of my concern of the affect your immediate imprisonment would have on your 25 employees."

Shaw and the company were fined a total of £70,000 for breaches of health and safety regulations.

His son, Gavin Shaw, 25, was fined £1,500 for one health and safety breach. He was earlier cleared of a manslaughter charge, on the directions of the judge, due to the lack of evidence against him.

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