Comet fined over labourer death
08/07/2010
Comet has been fined £75,000 after a labourer plunged 24ft to his death through a skylight at a store.
Paul Alker was carrying out roofing work at a Wrexham branch when he fell to his death three years ago.
Mold Crown Court had heard Alker and a colleague had not been supplied with harnesses.
At an earlier hearing Comet pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the pair's safety.
The judge at Mold Crown Court, his honour Rhys Rowlands, said it was an "accident waiting to happen".
Scaffolding had been erected at the side of the store to enable the men to get on top of the roof, but neither Mr Alker nor his colleague Aaron Pugh had been supplied with harnesses.
At the time, the men were employed by Steven Smith of Wrexham Roofing Services, who was jailed for two years in 2007 after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence.
A previous hearing was told that Comet failed to control the roofing company, which was effectively a "one-man band" and was not competent to carry out such a contract.
The electrical chain was fined and also ordered to pay £25,000 costs.
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