Falkirk builder in the dock over death of Maddiston roofer

Allan Thomson, Woodburn Crescent, of Building and Dismantling Contractors Ltd, is facing charges of gross negligence manslaughter and breaching Health and Safety at Work regulations.

Michael Smith, of Rochdale firm C Smith and Sons Ltd, also stands accused of similar breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

The trial, which was due to start at Manchester Crown Court as The Falkirk Herald went to press, is looking at the facts behind the fall which killed Maddiston roofer Scott Harrower at a building site in Stockport.

The 42-year-old father-of-two died on January 22, 2014 after sustaining serious head injuries from plunging 25 feet to the ground on January 21.

Mr Harrower was the second workman seriously injured that day.

Just hours earlier a 45-year-old, also from the Falkirk area, working at the site was hurt after falling from the same roof.

Last year Mr Harrower’s family said they hoped the court case would bring a sense of closure over his untimely death.