JMW Farms convicted of corporate manslaughter, fined £187,500 plus £13,000 costs

Northern Ireland company JMW Farms Limited became the second company to be convicted of Corporate Manslaughter in Great Britain and the Safety Health and Practitioner report they have received the largest ever health and safety fine in Northern Ireland.

On 15th November 2010, a JMW Farms employee, Robert Wilson, was tragically killed when he was struck by a metal bin which fell from the raised forks of a forklift truck and suffered fatal rush injuries. The joint investigation by the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland found that it was not possible to insert the lifting forks into the sleeves of the bin, as the forks were too large and incorrectly spaced causing the bin to fall.

JMW Farms pleaded guilty to the offence under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 (“the Act”) and was fined £187,500 and ordered to pay £13,000 in costs. The total sum must be paid within six months.