Harry Vann secures acquittal in fatal accident HSE prosecution
6th Nov 2025
The HSE offered no evidence today at Exeter Crown Court against T&M Buildings Limited represented by Harry Vann, instructed by Catherine Thompson of DAC Beachcroft Claims, in respect of a fatal incident at a new milking parlour in May 2021. The HSE prosecuted T&M as the building contractor, along with the client owner of the farm, in respect of a tragic incident when the designer and supplier of the parlour fell down an unguarded stairwell during a demonstration event, sustaining injuries from which he died in hospital over 3 weeks later.
The defendants applied to dismiss all four counts against them on the basis that the evidence indicated that the deceased was in control of the state of the parlour, rather than the defendants; and, in T&M’s case, that it had, in any event, done all that was reasonably practicable on the Crown’s evidence to safeguard the unfinished stairwell. Having considered the applications, the Prosecution acknowledged that there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction, all but 4.5 years after the incident.
