Suspended sentence for site foreman found guilty of health and safety failings

SCS also receive £200,000 fine following death of employee

A former site foreman has been handed a 12-month suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of failings which led to the death of his co-worker.

Stephen Phillips, of Kitterland Lane in Port Erin, was sentenced at Douglas Courthouse today alongside his employer at the time SCS.

The 37-year-old was found guilty after trial of failing to take reasonable care of the health of safety of himself, and others, on 4 August 2020 at King Williams College.

On that day Gary Skelding, who was 56-years-old, was killed when the scaffolding the men were working on collapsed after Phillips made the decision to overload it with fire board plasterboard.

SCS had previously admitted to failing to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of its employees.

Passing sentence Deemster Sandeep Kainth told both parties: “Of course both of you have to live with the fact that – on your watch – a death occurred; that’s going to be difficult.”

SCS must pay a financial penalty of £200,000, within three months; Phillips’ sentence has been suspended for 12 months.