The family of a Liverpool dad who died after falling while working at a Merseyside scaffolding firm have paid tribute to a “devoted father”.
The tribute from relatives of Adrian Smith, who died in 2012, comes after a judge last week demanded Kings Scaffolding give him an explanation for not mentioning a previous health and safety conviction in the firm’s mitigating statement.
Kings Scaffolding admitted responsibility in April for the death of 43-year-old Mr Smith when it pleaded guilty to corporate manslaughter.
Today Mr Smith’s partner Marie Price said: “Adrian was a loving partner and a devoted father to his three children, Emma, Laura and Josh.
“He loved his family, football and enjoyed spending lots of time with his dogs.
“Adrian also liked spending time outdoors with the family and loved the fresh air. He was a hard worker and we will miss him.”
Mr Smith died in September 2012 after falling while working on the roof of the Kings Scaffolding headquarters at Wheathill Industrial Estate in Holt Lane, Netherley.
The firm was due to be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court last Friday but the case was adjourned when High Court judge Mr Justice Turner told the prosecution about another conviction for health and safety breaches in 2002 which they did not know about.
Adrian Smith, who died in 2012 after falling while working on the roof of the Kings Scaffolding Netherley headquarters.
Paul Lewis, prosecuting, said: “The fact of the company’s previous conviction was not known to any investigating police officer.”
The judge said he was “slightly uncomfortable” about having read a statement from Kings Scaffolding’s John King which “seems to suggest that you were doing business for 40 years and had a good record”.
The statement had not mentioned the previous conviction, when Kings was fined £75,000 and told to pay £58,920 in costs over an accident in 2002 when three labourers were seriously injured when its scaffolding collapsed.
John Cooper, defending Kings, accepted: “The impression could have been created there was nothing to tarnish its reputation,” but said the past offences were reported in the ECHO after the last hearing and he thought the prosecution would have the information.
Adjourning the case, Mr Justice Turner asked for an explanation from Kings to be given to him by the defence at the next hearing as to why they had not mentioned the previous conviction in the statement.
He also said he wanted a figure of what Kings could afford to pay in terms of a fine, based on discussions with its accountants.
But he said he would not promise to be constrained by that figure and added “all options are open”.
Kings scaffolding in Holt Lane, Wavertree, pleaded guilty to the corporate manslaughter of Adrian Smith who fell through a skylight at their offices. Picture from Google.
David King, a manager at the firm, told the ECHO in April that everyone at the company was “devastated” by Mr Smith’s death.
He said: “We accept this occurred and we wanted to do what was right and plead guilty to it. We didn’t want his family having to go through a trial.
“This is a sad set of circumstances and we are all devastated that it happened as a family. Adrian was a good friend of ours.
“We work with blue chip companies up and down the country. We are number one approved by Liverpool Council.
“Our safety record is excellent but something has occurred on our premises when he has gone to look at a skylight and fell through it. It is tragic.”
The case was adjourned last week until October 12 at Preston Crown Court,
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/