Kinmel Bay: Boss jailed for nine years for worker manslaughter

Norman Butler, 60, was described as a "true hero" in a family tribute after his death

The director of a recycling company has been jailed for nine years for the manslaughter of an employee who became trapped in machinery.

Norman Butler, 60, from Prestatyn, Denbighshire, died in November 2017 at Recycle Cymru in Kinmel Bay, Conwy county.

Company director Stephen Jones, 60, was found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter.

Jones's negligence "was shockingly bad", Mold Crown Court heard.

"You showed a criminal disregard for Norman Butler's life and limb and the whole responsibility for his untimely and unnecessary death falls on you," Mr Justice Griffiths told Jones during sentencing.

"You cut corners because you were motivated by financial gain," he added. "It was an accident waiting to happen."

• Boss guilty of trapped worker's machinery death

• Man died in machinery due to negligence - court

• Boss was sickened by worker's death, trial hears

Mr Butler had been working as a van driver for the company for just a month before his death.

The court previously heard Mr Butler fell into a baler used to compress waste cardboard into large cubes ready for recycling.

Stephen Jones said he was 'sickened' to learn Norman Butler had died

A computer animation by the Health and Safety Executive showed how employees were expected to hang from a rope above the baler while clearing blockages.

Working alone, Mr Butler had walked up a conveyor before falling into the machinery.

His body was found three hours later by a colleague.

A pathologist told an inquest hearing the provisional cause of Mr Butler's death was massive blood loss.

Jones ran his business "without any regard for the safety of employees", the court heard, ignoring warnings about health and safety failures and dangerous working on the site.

Recycle Cymru, which went into liquidation this week, was also fined £120,000.

A HSE computer animation showed ropes above the baler, for workers to hang on to remove any debris from the top of the baler with their feet.

Mr Butler's family had personal statements read out in court on their behalf.

His daughter Jessica Williams wrote "My dad was a strong family man and for that to be taken away so suddenly well and truly broke me.

'Heart of gold'

"Knowing he won't see his grandkids grow up and that I'll never see him smile or hear him laugh again or be able to hug him causes me such pain."

She added: "I cry every time I think of him and read old text messages from him and think 'has this really happened?' I not only lost my dad but my best friend, he had a heart of gold."

Norman Butler's brother Joseph and niece Stacey attended the sentencing

Mr Butler's brother Joseph wrote: "Although this happened five years ago it still feels like yesterday, I will never get over it.

"I feel real anger when I think that my brother's death could have been prevented."

Outside court, Mr Butler read a statement, saying it had been a "harrowing experience for all our family."

"In our opinion, Mr Jones put all his employees at risk. Sadly for our family, it was Norman who lost his life."