Trial begins into death of shopfitter crushed by commercial fridge in Guernsey

A refrigeration unit fell on Barry Challen while he was working to fit out a Co-op store in Guernsey in 2018 Credit: ITV Channel

A four-day trial has begun in Guernsey's Royal Court, looking into the death of a building contractor who was killed in an industrial incident.

Barry Challen, from Lowestoft in Suffolk, was working at a Co-op store in St Sampson in May 2018 when a commercial refrigeration unit fell on him, leaving him with serious head injuries.

The 50-year-old was flown to a hospital in Norfolk, where he died four days later.

After being treated in Guernsey's hospital, Mr Challen was taken to the James Paget Hospital in Norfolk where he died Credit: PA

Five years later, Hurel Ltd - the company formerly known as RG Falla - is accused of breaching the island's Health and Safety laws.

On Tuesday 26 September, Crown Advocate Fiona Russell told the court that the defendants "failed to provide a safe working environment, adequate risk assessments and safe access."

She added there was "a lack of prior planning and no supervision on the day" and the risk assessment in place was "woefully inadequate for the task in hand."

Hurel Ltd has since gone into liquidation so is not being represented in court.

The other defendant, Trevor Wainright, whose installation company employed Mr Challen, was also present in court.

Both defendants have denied any wrongdoing.

The trial is expected to run until Friday 29 September.

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