Portico Shipping admits health and safety breaches over port death

Mieczyslaw 'Mitch' Siwak, 34, died at Portsmouth's Flathouse Quay in August 2017

A shipping firm has admitted health and safety offences after a port worker was crushed to death between containers.

Mieczyslaw "Mitch" Siwak, 34, from Bognor Regis, died at Flathouse Quay, Portsmouth, on 25 August 2017.

He was caught between two 40ft (12m) containers as one was being moved on a specialist fork-lift truck.

Portico Shipping pleaded guilty to breaching Section 33 of the Health and Safety at Work Act at a hearing at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court.

Sentencing was adjourned until 15 August.

Mr Siwak had been an employee of the shipping and hauling company, owned by Portsmouth City Council, then known as MMD Shipping Services.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) told an inquest into Mr Siwak's death in January 2019 there was a "complete lack of supervision and control on night shifts" and practices were "routinely ignored".

The inquest heard Mr Siwak came to England from Poland in 2004 and had moved into a flat with his girlfriend shortly before his death.

A jury at Portsmouth Coroner's Court concluded his death was accidental.

The Health and Safety Executive told the inquest there was a "complete lack of supervision and control on night shifts"