Bug death accused breached safety

Mrs Beckingham is guilty of breaching health and safety laws

A council architect has been found guilty of breaching health and safety laws after an outbreak of Legionnaires' Disease in 2002 which killed seven.

Gillian Beckingham, 46, was accused of cancelling a contract to keep an air conditioning system safe and clean.

But on Thursday the jury at Preston Crown Court failed to reach a verdict on seven counts of manslaughter over the outbreak in Barrow, Cumbria.

They were sent home and will continue their deliberations on Friday.

'Ageing' system

Mr Justice Poole said he would accept a majority verdict on the manslaughter charges.

Six women and one man died and a further 172 people contracted the disease, which spread from the air-conditioning unit at the Barrow Borough Council-owned Forum 28 art centre.

Many of the victims were left as invalids.

The prosecution claimed Beckingham was responsible for the upkeep of the "ageing" air conditioning system at Forum 28.

She was employed by the council as head of its design service.

The prosecution alleged that months before the outbreak she cancelled the contract which ensured it was kept clean and safe.

In July 2002 water droplets infected with Legionella bacteria showered people as they passed the building.

'Not responsible'

Alistair Webster QC, prosecuting, said her decisions "led directly to the outbreak".

Beckingham insisted she was not responsible for the air conditioning system.

On Thursday after a two-month trial, the jury of eight women and four men found her guilty of "failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of members of the public, thereby exposing them to the risk of contracting Legionnaires' Disease".

Beckingham, from Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, denies the unlawful killing of 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.

Barrow Borough Council was cleared of corporate manslaughter midway through the two-month trial.

But it pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.