Kinmel Bay: Man died in machinery due to negligence, court told
- Published
Mr Butler was described as a true hero in a family tribute
A company director's "highly dangerous" practices caused the death of a man who fell and got stuck in machinery, a court has been told.
Norman Butler, 60, from Prestatyn, Denbighshire, died in November 2017 after becoming trapped in a baler at Recycle Cymru Ltd in Kinmel Bay, Conwy.
At the opening of the trial, Mold Crown Court heard director Stephen Jones' negligence was "shockingly bad".
Mr Jones denies causing the death of Mr Butler by gross negligence.
Mr Jones and his firm have admitted lesser charges of failing to ensure the health and safety of employees.
The prosecution alleges Mr Jones had a duty of care to protect Mr Butler and breached it by failing to make sure he had been properly trained to operate the baler.
Prosecutor Craig Hassall QC told the court: "Stephen Jones operated his business without any regard for the safety of employees, he had inadequate policies on paper and they did not reflect what actually happened day to day in the business."
He said Mr Jones "didn't provide adequate training, systems of working or supervision and his practices were highly dangerous".
He added: "We say the negligence was shockingly bad."
Mr Butler had been working as a van driver for the firm for one month before his death.
He was working on the Tir Llwyd industrial estate in Kinmel Bay when he got stuck in a baler used to compress waste cardboard into large cubes ready for recycling.
He was alone at the warehouse when the prosecution say he walked up a conveyor belt to clear a blockage before falling into the machine.
His body was found three hours later by a colleague and emergency services were called to the scene.
A pathologist told an inquest hearing the provisional cause of Mr Butler's death was massive blood loss.
He was described as a hero by his family
The Health and Safety Executive began an investigation and managing director Mr Jones, 60, was charged with gross negligence manslaughter, a charge he denies.
The trial continues.