Fleet News | A record-breaking fine has been imposed on a fleet for repeated overloading offences, following a hearing at Bristol Magistrates’ Court.

Starling Distribution Services was ordered to pay £759,000, the biggest fine being issued ever for a Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) prosecution, after being convicted of overloading and defective vehicle offences for its milk delivery service.

Despite the company’s vehicles previously being found overloaded or with dangerous defects on multiple occasions, the court heard it continued to operate in a dangerous manner.

Starling Distribution Services was first prosecuted as part of DVSA’s Operation Milkman back in August 2023, where they were fined £204,660.

Despite this significant fine, the company continued to re-offend, leading to further convictions in November 2023 and August 2024, before this latest court appearance.

The court heard that the DVSA stopped three vehicles being operated by Starling Distribution Services during three routine inspections in August 2024 and in February, this year.

The vehicle with the biggest overload weighed 5,040kg when it should have weighed no more than 3,500kg, meaning it was 44% over the maximum permitted limit.

Another of the vehicles was overloaded by 1,080kg, meaning it was 30.86% over the maximum permitted limit. It also had significant roadworthiness issues including braking defects and inoperative direction indicators.

The vehicle’s condition was deemed to pose a danger to road users, and an immediate prohibition was issued.

Starling Distribution Services was ordered to pay a total of £759,000 by the court. This was made up of a total fine of £750,000, victim surcharge of £6,000, and costs of £3,000.

Two drivers were also prosecuted and issued smaller fines and costs.

Harborough District Council | A pub company has been fined £240,000 following the death of a woman who visited one of its pubs on 14th May 2023.

Julie Hyatt, 57, died from her injuries in hospital on 26 May 2023, after falling down some stairs at The Langton Arms in Church Langton.

Mrs Hyatt fell into a basement cellar through a door which should have been locked.

Harborough District Council has successfully prosecuted Redcat Retail Pubs Ltd, the pub company which owns The Langton Arms, for failing to comply with health and safety legislation.

After an extensive investigation the council concluded that the business had not assessed the risk to the health and safety of its employees or members of the public. There was no risk assessment in place to cover the access into the basement cellar.

Redcat Retail Pubs Ltd pleaded guilty to one count of breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and were ordered to pay £240,000, with a victim surcharge of £2,000 and £43,633.06 in legal costs.

The council has a duty to ensure that licensed premises comply with statutory requirements and can take appropriate enforcement action if required.

Cat Hartley, Director of Communities and Wellbeing at Harborough District Council, said: “Firstly, we offer our sincere condolences to Mr Hyatt and all of Mrs Hyatt’s family and friends.

“This was a serious breach of health and safety, which regrettably resulted in Mrs Hyatt losing her life. We have worked tirelessly on this investigation to ensure justice for the family.

“All businesses have a legal duty to their customers to ensure the conditions in their premises meet rigorous safety standards. We hope this prosecution sends out a strong message that businesses which fall significantly short of this standard will be brought before the courts.

“Residents and visitors to Harborough district should expect to be safe when they are enjoying any of our licensed hospitality premises.”

HSE | A London construction company has been fined £50,000 after four men were injured — two seriously — when the first floor of a house collapsed during building works.

Aryn Stones Ltd had been contracted to build a new domestic property in Hampstead. On 31 May 2022, remedial works were being carried out on a partially built beam-and-block floor, when it collapsed, taking two of the workers down with it.

The two men include a welder, who is now 62, and a 31-year-old bricklayer. They both sustained life-changing injuries, while two other men who were standing at ground level were injured by falling concrete.

Work on the build began in March 2021 but by February the following year, engineers who inspected the property identified errors with the connections of the structural steel beams. This prompted the remedial works that led the structure to collapse. That came about when the welder was using an oxyacetylene torch to cut a steel beam supporting the first floor. However, at the same time, another worker had been removing some Acrow props that were supporting the beam.

Investigating, the HSE found that Aryn Stones Ltd had failed to ensure the structure did not collapse while it was in a state of temporary weakness. The company also failed to put any measures in place to manage the temporary remedial work being carried out on the steel connections. They also failed to take all practicable steps to prevent danger to any person while the building was in a temporary state of weakness.

Aryn Stones Ltd, of Percy Road, London were found guilty of breaching Regulation 19(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay £39,000 costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Lucy Ellison-Dunn said: “Although two men were seriously injured, it was lucky nobody was killed.

“This was a completely avoidable incident had a system for the management of temporary works been in place. The company should have taken precautions to protect people from the risk of collapse.

“Everyone working in construction has a responsibility to ensure that everyone on a building site is safe.”

The investigation was also carried out by HSE inspector Alexander McIlwraith.

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Samantha Crockett and supported by HSE Paralegal Officer Sarah Thomas.

HSE | A construction site supervisor has been fined after he exposed primary school pupils and staff to asbestos during renovation work.

Adrian Barraclough was working as a site supervisor during the refurbishment of kitchen facilities at Holy Family Catholic Primary School in Bristol.

During the works on 13 May 2023, the 54-year-old cut through asbestos insulating board using a circular saw. His actions resulted in asbestos fibres spreading throughout the school hall, which was subsequently used for two days by pupils and staff.

An investigation by the HSE found that Barraclough failed to follow his asbestos awareness training, including clear instructions not to disturb the wall. Following an asbestos survey, the wall was due to be checked by a licensed asbestos contractor prior to removal to clarify if asbestos was present.

Adrian Barraclough, of Green Lane, Frome, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 7(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. He was fined £1,800 and ordered to pay a £720 victim surcharge and £4,000 in costs at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on 12 June 2025 – a total financial penalty of £6,520.

HSE inspector Ian Whittles said: “Every year around 5,000 people die from asbestos-related diseases, often taking decades to develop symptoms. In this case, wholly unacceptable exposure to asbestos fibres occurred as a result of an individual employee not following instructions and procedures designed to prevent such occurrences.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Karen Park and paralegal Imogen Issac.

BBC News | A hospital trust and a staff member have been found guilty of health and safety failings over the death of a young woman in a mental health unit.

Alice Figueiredo, 22, was being treated at Goodmayes Hospital, east London, when she took her own life in July 2015, having previously made several attempts.

Following a seven-month trial at the Old Bailey, a jury found that neither North East London Foundation NHS Trust (NELFT) nor ward manager Benjamin Aninakwa did enough to prevent her death.

The trust was cleared of corporate manslaughter; Aninakwa was cleared of gross negligence manslaughter.

The jury deliberated for 24 days—a record for British justice—before convicting both under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act.

Speaking to Alice’s family, Judge Richard Marks KC praised her “immense love” and said he hoped the verdict offered some consolation.

Alice had been on close observation but was able to self-harm repeatedly; warnings about bin bags on the ward were not fully heeded.

Prosecutors criticised poor recording of incidents and Aninakwa’s leadership. He had been on a three-year performance plan until December 2014, and agency-staff turnover was high.

Alice’s mother described the “intense pain” of her loss but remembered her daughter’s quick wit and humour. Her family pressed both police and CPS for action over nearly a decade.

NELFT is only the second NHS trust to face corporate manslaughter. Dr Victoria Roper of Northumbria University says such charges are reserved for the very worst management failings.

Mental-health campaigners regard this case as a reminder that inpatient care still fails too many vulnerable people.

Hackney Council | The owner of a popular Hackney restaurant has been fined nearly £20,000 after fly-tipping waste on nine occasions.

Facing Heaven, a vegan Chinese eatery off Mare Street, ignored a warning after its first offence in January 2023 and repeatedly dumped waste illegally, passing disposal costs onto the council.

The case at Thames Magistrates’ Court found the operator guilty; fines totalled £16,500 plus £900 costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge.

The judge noted the defendant had continued fly-tipping until October 2024 despite notices from Hackney Council.

SIA | The Security Industry Authority consultation on proposed licensing-criteria changes received over 3,300 responses.

The proposals aim to strengthen eligibility tests, update the list of relevant offences and increase transparency of the “fit and proper” test.

SIA says it will finalise recommendations and seek ministerial approval in autumn 2025. If approved, new rules will go live and “Get Licensed” will be updated.

HSE| A Northamptonshire-based flour company has been fined £300,000 after a maintenance worker severed one of his fingers in machinery.

The incident happened at ADM Milling Limited at its site on Earlstrees Industrial Estate in Corby on 28 June 2023.

David Wood, who was 59 at the time, had been carrying out maintenance work on a packer closing station. However, the 800-kilogram machine became unbalanced and tipped backwards, trapping his left hand. This resulted in the little finger on the hand being severed.

Investigating, the HSE found the company had failed to safely manage the risks of people performing maintenance at its factory.

ADM Milling Limited were required to fully assess the task that the injured person was assigned, to ensure that his health and safety was not put at risk.

ADM Milling Limited, of Brunel Road, Earlstrees Industrial Estate, Corby, Northamptonshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £300,000 and ordered to pay £7,517 in costs.

HSE inspector Abbey Hodson said: “This incident was wholly avoidable. The case should highlight to industry that all maintenance tasks, whether they are planned or unplanned, should be carefully assessed and reviewed to ensure that anyone under their control is protected from harm.

“Had this task been competently risk assessed, other control measures that prevented this incident would have been identified.”

The HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Samantha Wells and paralegal officer Helen Hugo.

Security Industry Authority | A man found with two forged SIA licences pleaded guilty to fraud and was ordered to pay £2,600.

Charles Ibikunle admitted two counts of Fraud Act 2006 after police found forged licences during a vehicle stop. He was fined £1,000 per offence plus £400 victim surcharge and £200 costs.

HSE | Two Shrewsbury-based companies have been fined after a worker fell through a roof during extension work.

On 9 December 2022, a roofer fell through an un-covered window opening, fracturing his spine and ribs. HSE found Roofrite (Shropshire) Limited and Harding and Houlston Building Contractors failed to plan and monitor work at height safely.

Roofrite pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £8,000 plus £2,990 costs. Harding and Houlston pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 13(1) of CDM 2015 and was fined £500 plus £2,990 costs.

HSE inspector Sara Andrews emphasised the need for thorough risk assessments and internal crash decks to prevent falls.

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