Henry Willis death: Father and uncle of 20-year-old man killed in accident on Yorkshire farm to face trial

Henry Thomas Willis died in January 2019, while working for his father Timothy and uncle Mark's agricultural engineering business, DH Willis & Sons Ltd, which was based at Gilling West, near Richmond.

Timothy Willis, 58, and Mark Willis, 56, are both charged as directors alongside the company itself with several offences relating to breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act by failing in their duty to ensure Henry's welfare as an employee.

At a hearing at Teesside Crown Court today, guilty pleas were entered in relation to three of the counts. A trial will be held later this year as both directors and the company have denied more serious charges of manslaughter or corporate manslaughter.

No details of the nature of Henry's death were given in court.

The former Richmond School pupil was the son of Timothy Willis and his wife Janet who also have a daughter, Eliza. At his funeral, there was a collection in aid of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

In January 2019 the Health and Safety Executive served an immediate prohibition notice on the business which read: "All works on the barn roof or use of the JCB telehandler with man basket attachment on site. You have failed to provide suitable and sufficient measures to prevent persons falling a distance liable to cause serious personal injury."