Andrew Stocker, 57, a former manager of a Tory peer’s family estate, has denied two counts of gross negligence manslaughter following the deaths of two men who were both found unconscious in the apple store at Lord Selborne’s Blackmoor Estate in February 2013.
Scott Cain, 23, and Ashley Clarke, 24, who worked on the estate near Liss, Hampshire, died while retrieving apples from a long-term storage container in which fruit is kept at very low oxygen levels, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.
At Winchester Crown Court, Mr Stocker pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of two farm workers. Blackmoor Estate did not enter pleas to four health and safety charges after it was accused of contravening regulations under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
The case against the estate was adjourned for a further plea and case management hearing on 9 January.
A trial date was set for both defendants of 3 June and Mr Stocker was released on unconditional bail.
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