Firm admits offence over worker killed by excavator in Brampton

James Rourke had graduated from university in the summer before he died

A construction firm has admitted a health and safety offence after a probationary worker was killed by an excavator whose driver did not see him.

James Rourke, 22, was on a newbuild site in Brampton, Cambridgeshire when he died in November 2019.

An inquest jury in 2022 said the site engineer had no supervision.

At Peterborough Magistrates' Court, his employer, Materials Movement Limited (MML), pleaded guilty to contravening a health and safety regulation.

District judge Ken Sheraton adjourned the sentencing of the company, based in Henlow, Bedfordshire to 22 March.

The University of Birmingham graduate was working at a construction site at Badger Way, near Brampton Park Golf Club, when he died.

The inquest of Mr Rourke, from Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, was told he had "been instructed to set up warning signs in a work area where an excavator and its operator were situated".

The inquest jury concluded: "No supervision was provided. The planned area of work had not been segregated.

"The operator of the excavator had not seen James standing at the rear of the right-hand tracks before he reversed."

The BBC has contacted MML for comment.