The manager of a waste disposal firm, Brian Timmins, has been found guilty of manslaughter along with Timmins Waste Services (TWS) after a worker, David Willis, fell into an industrial shredder and was crushed to death. Willis’ remains were never found after the accident occurred back in September 2018. While operating the machine, Timmins was accused of “systemic failures”. The jury could not come to a verdict regarding a charge of perverting the course of justice against Timmins.
According to Christine Agnew KC, prosecutor for the case, Timmins used a digger to lift Willis up on top of the shredder when the machine stopped, and CCTV footage showed the machine was still on. The video also revealed Willis working inside the shredder while waste continued to be processed, and when he disappeared, Timmins was seen searching the yard and machine before calling Willis’ phone. The day after the accident, Timmins and other employees loaded and disposed of 80 tonnes of recycled waste by taking it to a landfill site in Staffordshire.
The worker’s mother, Caroline, reported Willis missing on September 15th, when he did not return home to Tipton. She also called Timmins to ask if he had seen her son. Timmins told her he had not seen Willis since the morning when Willis “left and walked up the road”. Police started a lengthy search of Poplars Landfill Site in Cannock after part of a tabard that may have belonged to the worker was discovered.
The court was told that Brian Timmins’ conduct was “truly, exceptionally bad” and fell far below what would be expected of a reasonable and competent person in his position. It was also the prosecution’s case that Timmins “knew that Mr Willis had died in the shredder, which prompted interference with evidence and concealed the facts of the death”. It remains to be seen when Timmins and TWS will be sentenced. The decision on a retrial for the perverting the course of justice charge is yet to be made
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