Accidental death verdict at Scott Williams inquest (From Harrow Times)

Accidental death verdict at Scott Williams inquest

3:57pm Wednesday 10th March 2010 in

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A JURY has decided a Kingsbury teacher who was crushed to death in the back of a rubbish lorry died accidentally.

Scott Williams died of crushing injuries after going to sleep in an industrial waste bin following a boozy night out in Brighton.

Today, a jury recorded a unanimous verdict of accidental death following a two-day inquest. They said they had concluded that Mr Williams got into the unidentified four-wheel bin of his own accord while under the influence of alcohol on Saturday, July 11 last year.

The trained PE and Maths teacher, who worked at the Stag Lane Pupil Referral Unit, had traveled to the seaside town for the day, and his body was discovered at a waste site a day later.

Gilva Tisshaw, assistant deputy coroner for Brighton and Hove, said that the Waste Industry Safety and Health guidelines regarding commercial wheelie bins have been revised following the incident, with changes such as compulsory locks and keeping them away from public areas being recommended.

She added: "However, I think it is important that there is a heightened public awareness of the dangers that can arise from a person or persons being in one of these large bins."

The inquest at Hove Crown Court heard that toxicology tests on Mr Williams, who was deaf in one ear, showed he was three times over the drink driving limit.

A post-mortem examination found he died from crush injuries to his chest, which would have been caused by the mechanism in the waste lorry that transferred him to the site owned by Sussex Waste Recycling Ltd.

During the inquest, jurors were shown CCTV images of Mr Williams's last known movements, which showed him walk a female companion to a taxi rank on Brighton seafront in the early hours of July 12.

It was not known why he climbed into the bin, although the inquest heard that it had rained heavily that evening and he could have been looking for shelter.

Detective Chief Inspector Graham Pratt, of Sussex Police, said officers investigated whether Mr Williams could have been the victim of an assault but found no evidence to suggest he had been and they were satisfied that there was no one else involved.

Robert Pinniger, who shared a flat with Mr Williams in Willesden, told the inquest it had only been a last-minute decision to spend the night in Brighton.

The two of them had driven down to visit respective family and friends in the city that morning with the intention of returning home to London later that day.

However, after beginning their journey home, they both realised they did not have any particular plans for the evening and decided to drive back into Brighton.

Speaking on behalf of Mr Williams's mother, Marion, who came over to the UK from New Zealand for the inquest with her elder son, Malcom Frethey, described Mr Williams as his "best friend".

He said of Mr Williams, who was also best man at his wedding: "He was very generous to people, and caring. He had an amazing sense of humour.

"He was very close to his family and was planning on coming home."

He added: "We're pleased the procedures are in place to hopefully reduce this from happening in the future."