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7 September 2005 - Hatfield Crash Corporate
Manslaughter Charge Thrown Out
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The charge of Corporate Manslaughter against the five Executives
from Network Rail and Balfour Beatty was thrown out by Judge Justice Mackay
halfway through the trial of Network Rail's Hatfield Disaster in which more than
100 passengers were injured and 4 were killed.
The 115mph derailment of the King's Cross to Leeds train crash
on 17 October 2000 was said by the Prosecution to be "down to a cavalier
approach to safety" and alleged there had been "a catalogue of such safety
lapses" prior to the derailment such as the faulty rail at the crash scene which
had been identified 21 months earlier, but had never been repaired and the
failure to impose speed restrictions.
The defence for the five rail Executives said it was unfair to
make them scapegoats in an under-funded industry neglected by Governments for
many years.
Balfour Beatty admitted breaching safety standards and along
with Nerwork Rail will be sentenced on 3 October 2005.
Mr Ian Mc Allister, Chairman of Network Rail said:
"Our thoughts today are with those who died and were injured
on that day and their families. Once again, we wish to say we are sorry that it
ever happened.
"It must be remembered that the maintenance of the railway has fundamentally
changed since the Hatfield tragedy."
Mr. Keith Norman, General Secretary of the train drivers' union
Aslef, said of the decision:
"The decision of the court defied logic and distorted
compassion. The court appeared to have more concern for the five
executives than the four dead."
The difficulties in securing convictions for Corporate
Manslaughter under current legislation has been highlighted by this case and
although reform is proposed by the Government, surely a much greater urgency
should be placed upon it's conclusion.
As the law stands at the moment, satisfaction for the bereaved
and injured is neither fair nor conclusive.
Article by Alexandra Johnston
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