News / avonmouth
‘Insufficient evidence’ of manslaughter following 2020 Avonmouth explosion
More than three years and seven months since an explosion in Avonmouth resulted in the deaths of four people, it has been announced that there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of a criminal conviction for manslaughter.
Despite this meaning that the police-led investigation is now over, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) will continue to carry out enquiries to determine whether criminal offences were committed under the Health & Safety at Work Act.
The explosion on December 3 2020 at Wessex Water’s sewage treatment plant close to the Avonmouth tip resulted in the deaths of Luke Wheaton, 16, of Bradley Stoke; Ray White, 57, of Portishead; Brian Vickery, 63, of Clevedon; and Mike James, 64, of Bath.
is needed now More than ever
Three Wessex Water employees and one contractor died following the explosion on December 3 2020 in a chemical tank off Kings Weston Lane – photo: Ellie Pipe
The Major Crime Investigation Team at Avon & Somerset police had been leading the inquiry into what caused the explosion with the help of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Their investigation has been attempting to establish whether any individuals or organisations were responsible for the explosion as well as whether any health and safety offences had been committed.
The decision to stop the police investigation was taken after police detectives and HSE investigators met with the Crown Prosecution Service to review the evidence which had been gathered.
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Read more: Tributes paid to the four people killed in Avonmouth explosion
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Detective chief inspector Mark Almond said: “Throughout our inquiry the families of Luke, Ray, Brian and Mike have been firmly in our thoughts.
“The families have demonstrated great dignity and patience while we carried out our enquiries and I’d like to publicly thank them for their support and understanding over the past three and a half years.
“Inquiries of this kind are extremely complex and require the support of other agencies to gather evidence and then a variety of experts to help us interpret what that evidence tells us.
“In this case, the evidence we’ve gathered doesn’t reach the extremely high threshold to prosecute any criminal offence of manslaughter.
“We have met all the families to explain this development and to inform them of what will happen next, with HSE taking ownership of the investigation.”
HSE principal inspector Simon Chilcott added: “We have been a part of this complex inquiry from the outset.
“Now as the lead agency, we will continue to carry out a robust criminal investigation to establish if there have been any breaches of health and safety law.
“We are in regular contact with the families, with whom our thoughts remain.”
Main photos: Avon & Somerset police
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