Director fined over plunge death

A company director has been ordered to pay £20,000 over the loss of his best friend who plunged to his death after fitting a giant neon necklace to a 140-year-old statue.

John Taylor, 65, admitted failing to ensure the safety of long-serving employee Ian Gutteridge, 56, when they used a cherry picker to reach the top of the Prince Albert monument in Manchester city centre.

After successfully securing a glowing cross to promote a jewellery exhibition, Mr Gutteridge then went back up with a photographer who wanted to take close-up shots.

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Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard the cherry picker basket shifted sideways as they did so and on its descent overturned and toppled on the early evening of April 4 2007. Mr Gutteridge, who was not wearing a safety helmet, suffered fatal head and chest injuries while the photographer was knocked unconscious.

Simon Anthrobus, defending, said that while talking to the exhibition organisers Taylor, who had "misgivings" about the procedure, noticed the cherry picker had moved. He "froze" and within a second or two the machine toppled.

Taylor, of Greenfield Road, Atherton, Lancashire, was personally fined 2,000 and his company received a 10,000 fine, which he pledged to pay himself , with 8,000 costs.

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