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Wee Gordon
31-07-2006, 04:27 PM
A council architect accused of causing an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease has been found not guilty of seven charges of manslaughter.
However, Gillian Beckingham, 48, of Grange-over-Sands in Cumbria, has been found guilty of one charge of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.

She was accused of failing to ensure the maintenance of an air-conditioning unit at the Forum 28 centre in Barrow.

It sprayed bacteria into the air in 2002, causing the outbreak.

Preston Crown Court heard that at least five people were fatally infected.

Two others, Mrs Beckingham's lawyers argued, had contracted the disease but died of other causes.

'Cancelled contract'

She had denied the manslaughter of: Richard Macauley, 88; Wendy Milburn, 56; Georgina Somerville, 54; Harriet Low, 74; Christine Merewood, 55; Elizabeth Dixon, 80; and June Miles 56.

She told the court her job as senior architect at Barrow Borough Council mainly concerned the design of local housing projects, and that she had received no health and safety training.

The prosecution alleged that she cancelled a contract which ensured necessary tests were carried out on the air conditioning unit at the arts centre.

The court heard she was on holiday when a second contract to maintain the air conditioning system was agreed with a sub-contractor.

On Monday, after a seven-week retrial, the jury of eight men and four women cleared her of manslaughter.

She was later convicted of one charge of breaching health and safety law by a majority of 11 to one.

loiboi
01-08-2006, 10:25 PM
Read this in today paper, she got fined £15000 in the end.