Architect accused over bug deaths

Gillian Beckingham denies all charges

The negligence of an architect caused the death of seven people in one of the UK's worst outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease, a court has heard.

Preston Crown Court was told Gillian Beckingham failed to properly maintain an air conditioning unit at the Barrow arts centre, where the outbreak began.

She denies seven counts of unlawful killing and breaching safety rules.

Barrow Borough Council denies the same charges in the continuing trial, but admits breaking health and safety laws.

The court heard how Ms Beckingham was in charge of the air conditioning unit at Forum 28 arts, when it sprayed deadly bacteria into the air in August 2002.

The outbreak led to the deaths of six women and one man and infected nearly 200 other people.

Alistair Webster QC, prosecuting, told the jury the deaths were "avoidable and unnecessary".

The outbreak was traced to the Forum 28 centre

He said: "It was an outbreak that could have been avoided by the exercise of a moderate amount of care.

"The person who was properly responsible for this human disaster was Gillian Beckingham, a qualified architect employed by Barrow Borough Council as head of design services."

Mr Webster said Beckingham, 47, "failed to take any effective action" to prevent the tragedy.

"The significant cause of each death was Legionnaire's Disease caused by bacteria emitted from Forum 28, and that outbreak was caused by gross negligence, negligence so gross that it was criminal, on the part of Gillian Beckingham," he said.

'Acting for council'

Richard Macauley, 88, Wendy Milburn, 56, Georgina Somerville, 54, Harriet Low, 74, Elizabeth Dixon, 80, June Miles, 56, and Christine Merewood, 55, all from Barrow, died in the outbreak.

Mr Webster said: "Gillian Beckingham was acting as and for the council.

"She was indeed so far up the chain of command at the council, she is taken as being the council for these purposes.

"By virtue of the gross criminal negligence of Gillian Beckingham, both she and the council are guilty of these offences."