Guilty plea over Cwmbran skylight death (From South Wales Argus)

Guilty plea over Cwmbran skylight death

4:28pm Monday 7th April 2008 in News

THE owner of a roofing company has pleaded guilty to manslaughter following the death of a teenage employee five years ago in Cwmbran.

Roy Clark of North Eastern Roofing today admitted the charge in connection with the death of 17-year-old Daniel Dennis on the eve of his trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

The 50-year-old from Maes Glas, Cefn Cribwr, Bridgend, was released on unconditional bail before being sentenced at Swansea Crown Court in a few weeks time.

The teenager from Pyle, Bridgend, was killed after plummeting through a skylight at the Matalan store in Cwmbran on April 8, 2003.

He had been working for just seven days when the accident happened.

The prosecution follows successful judicial review proceedings backed by the GMB union and solicitors acting for the Dennis family.

In March 2006 the CPS originally decided there was no realistic prospect that a criminal prosecution would succeed.

Later that year the High Court quashed the decision not to bring a prosecution and ruled there had been failures over the factors which influenced that decision.