12:00pm Monday 23rd November 2009
By Jessica Best
THE FAMILY of a Newbridge man who died while driving a poorly maintained company van say they are disappointed his employers have not been brought to justice for failing to carry out proper checks on the firm's vehicles.
David Freeman, 45, died in September last year when the Ford transit van he was driving for grass cutting firm DMB Contracts Services Ltd crashed on the A467 Risca bypass.
Mr Freeman and his two colleagues Tyrone Williams and Wayne Combstock were not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
At an inquest into Mr Freeman's death last week, Gwent’s deputy coroner Wendy James branded safety procedures at Crumlin-based DMB “disgraceful” after police collision investigators found the van had multiple faults, including no MOT, badly worn front tyres and under-inflated back wheels.
Giving evidence, Pc Rhys Reynolds said it was these under-inflated tyres which contributed to Mr Freeman losing control of the van.
Tyrone Williams, a co-worker who was in the van with Mr Freeman at the time of the accident, told the inquest there were no formal procedures in place at the firm to check or report safety problems with its vehicles.
Police submitted a file to the Crown Prosecution Service seeking to prosecute DMB Contracts Services Ltd on charges of gross negligence and manslaughter, but the CPS decided not to proceed with the case.
Speaking on behalf of his family after the coroner returned a verdict of accidental death, Mr Freeman’s partner Claire Parker said: “As a family we understand [the inquest’s] outcome, but still feel disappointed that David’s employers have not been brought to justice through the courts.”
She added the family were considering a private prosecution.
Mr Freeman, who lived with Ms Parker at their Pontymister home, left daughters 17-month-old Madison and 15 year-old Paige.
Ms Parker added: “All his family still miss David until this day. He will never be forgotten and he lives on in his children Madison and Paige.”
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