Accident leaves recycling firm in court

A waste disposal company is being prosecuted for an accident leading to the death of a worker, a source says.

One employee has already been found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the case, the Sunderland Echo reports.

David Liddle was killed in December of last year.

The circumstances of the accident have not been revealed, but the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched an investigation after it was notified.

At the time, a police spokeswoman talking to the newspaper said: "We received a call just before 16:00 following a report of an industrial accident at Alex Smiles in Deptford Terrace, Sunderland."

The waste firm specialises in recycling and the plant where the accident occurred was a sorting depot.

Alex Smiles is being prosecuted under the Health and Safety at Work Act, the newspaper reports.

It is due to appear in court in late September.

Research by Bomel Limited reveals there are ten times more fatal accidents in waste management than in any other sector, the HSE reports.