Millionaire Keith Crawford, 73, reportedly ignored his handyman when he raised safety concerns during work on the property tycoon’s pool at his Exeter mansion
A former UKIP parliamentary candidate has been found guilty of breaking health and safety laws after a handyman was buried alive while working on his pool.
Millionaire Keith Crawford, 73, reportedly ignored the worker when he raised safety concerns and told him ‘F**k that, it’s getting stupid money now’.
Peter Clements, 48, was buried alive when the trench he was excavating at Crawford’s Exeter home collapsed on top of him and covered him in tonnes of earth.
He died of a cardiac arrest in hospital after suffering a collapsed lung and broken ribs after the accident in January 2015.
Property tycoon Crawford was found guilty of failing to comply with health and Safety regulations after a trial at Exeter Crown Court.
The jury is yet to return a verdict on a more serious charge of manslaughter.
Crawford, who has a £7million fortune, is accused of ignoring safety warnings and refusing to pay for measures which would have prevented the tragedy.
Days before Mr Clements died, he is alleged to have told him: ‘F**k that, it’s getting stupid money now – just carry on with what you are doing’.
The former soldier, whose workers referred to him as ‘the Colonel’, said he could not be held responsible because Mr Clements was a sub-contractor and not directly employed by him.
A jury at Exeter Crown Court found him guilty of failing to comply with health and Safety regulations. They were show aerial photographs of Crawford’s luxurious home (above) during the trial
Mr Clements had done several jobs for Crawford in the past.
He was brought in to dig a soakaway for the leaking outdoor swimming pool at Crusader Court, Crawford’s converted barn home at Pocombe Bridge in Exeter.
Mr Clements allegedly raised concerns about the safety of the trench days before he was buried in it.
He had been working alongside his son Ryan and digger driver Ross Phillips.
The prosecution claim Crawford said paying for a trench box was ‘stupid money’ and that he turned a blind eye to the dangers.
Peter Clements, 48, was buried alive when the trench he was excavating at Crawford’s home collapsed on top of him and covered him in tonnes of earth
‘The reason Crawford gave to Mr Phillips why a trench box was not appropriate was that it was too expensive,’ said prosecutor Stephen Mooney.
‘Mr Philips’ perception was that this work needed to be done quickly and cheaply but not safely.’
On the day Mr Clements was buried, a wall nearby had cracked and the heavy rain was making the ground even more unstable.
Work was stopped for a short time when soil fell on Ryan.
‘Peter Clements suggested concrete rings could be fitted and a pump used because water was collecting in the trench,’ said Mr Mooney.
‘This could have reduced the risk greatly. All these measures were available to the defendant had he chosen them.
‘There was no reason why not – other than the fact costs would have been incurred and the job taken longer than he wanted it to.
‘He was completely ambivalent to the use of safety measures and so he walked away. It was the last time he saw Peter Clements alive.’
As the trench started to collapse Ryan managed to scramble half way up a ladder but his father was not able to get out in time.
His two co-workers tried desperately to get him out and eventually managed to pull him free using the digger and chains under his arms.
After he died, Crawford visited Mr Clements’ widow Amanda and handed her £1,000.
Mr Clements was brought in to dig a soakaway for the leaking outdoor swimming pool, but allegedly raised concerns about the safety of the trench (above)
He died of a cardiac arrest in hospital after suffering a collapsed lung and broken ribs after the accident in January 2015 (above: the trench where he was crushed by soil)
Crawford told the court he disliked ‘red tape’ and paid workmen cash-in-hand to do jobs, preferring to negotiate work costs ‘man-to-man’.
He told the jury he felt ‘no responsibility whatsoever’ for the death but added: ‘There’s not a day goes by when I don’t examine my conscience about the trench and ask myself why I didn’t realise it was a danger.
‘Why didn’t Pete, who I had a good working relationship with, say it was a dangerous? I question it myself every single day.
‘I ask myself ‘Would you have gone into that trench’ and I answer ‘Yes I would’.
‘Please don’t think I don’t think about this every day. I didn’t see it as a danger. I really didn’t.’
Crawford told the court he owned about 60 properties in the Exeter area and collected about £360,000 gross in rent every year, but denied being wealthy.
‘I’m not short of a bob or two but I’m not wealthy. I’d like to be wealthier,’ he said.
Crawford has stood in several council elections on behalf of UKIP and in 2010 and 2015 was chosen to contest the Exeter parliamentary seat held by Ben Bradshaw.
He claimed to have joined the army at 15, serving for 24 years.
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.