Police chiefs in court on safety charges

Sir John Stevens and Lord Condon deny the charges

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens and his predecessor Lord Condon have both pleaded not guilty to five charges alleging breaches of health and safety laws.

The case relates partly to the death of Pc Kulwant Sidhu and to injuries suffered by PC Mark Berwick in two separate incidents when they were chasing suspects.

PC Sidhu died after plunging through a glass panel on the roof of an industrial building in Twickenham, south-west London in October 1999, and in May 2000, PC Berwick injured himself falling through the roof of a building in Neasden, north-west London.

Both Sir John and Lord Condon, who retired in 2000, deny failing to discharge their duty towards officers and breaching the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act and regulations made under it.

PC Kulwant Sidhu died after falling through a roof

The prosecution, brought by the Health and Safety Executive, relates to the "assessment and management of the risk faced by police officers of falling from or through roofs while assisting in the apprehension of suspects".

Lord Condon has been charged in relation to both officers and Sir John in relation to PC Berwick.

The charges were formally put to the two men at a 30-minute hearing at the High Court in London on Monday.

A pre-trial hearing will he held on 10 February before the trial which has been scheduled for the end of April.