£145,000 in fines and costs for Jaymar Estates following car park death
A firm which manages a Cumbrian car park has been fined £95,000 after a 91-year-old woman was killed by a reversing van.
Jaymar Estates must also pay £50,000 in costs after the judge ruled that ‘primary responsibility’ for the accident rested with them.
Gertrude Donaldson, a great-grandmother, of Ash Meadow Crescent Green, Kendal, was struck by the delivery van in October 2009 in the town’s Station House Surgery car park.
Carlisle Crown Court heard on 9 June that the car park was in a poor state and did not have clearly marked areas to separate pedestrians and vehicles.
The firm admitted breaching health and safety laws which led to the death of Mrs Donaldson and it was fined £95,000 with costs of £50,000.
In a statement, Mrs Donaldson’s family said: “Prior to mum’s death, issues about safety in the car park had already been raised with Jaymar.
“We are four years and seven months down the line and only now have they acknowledged their breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act and that this breach made a sufficient contribution to mum’s fatal accident.
“We are happy that the judge has sent a clear message about companies’ responsibilities to people’s health and safety.”
Mrs Donaldson’s family thanked South Lakeland District Council for pursuing the case.
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£145,000 in fines and costs for Jaymar Estates following car park death
A firm which manages a Cumbrian car park has been fined £95,000 after a 91-year-old woman was killed by a reversing van.
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