Official faces 'bug deaths' trial

Gillian Beckingham denies all charges

A council architect was "principally responsible" for the "avoidable" deaths of seven people from Legionaires' disease, a court has heard.

Gillian Beckingham, 48, cancelled the maintenance contract on the air conditioning unit at Barrow's Forum 28 Art Centre, Preston Crown Court heard.

The fatal outbreak of the disease in 2002 was traced to the centre's system.

Ms Beckingham, from Grange-over-Sands, denies manslaughter and breaching health and safety laws.

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, and a further 140 people were infected.

'Human disaster'

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

He said: "The Crown says the person who was principally responsible for this human disaster, both in human terms and in criminal terms, was Gillian Beckingham, a qualified architect who was employed by Barrow Council as their head of the design services group."

The court was told she cancelled a contract which ensured that necessary tests were carried out on the system.

After a few months, when the system was not covered by a maintenance contract at all, she signed a new contract.

But Mr Webster said this new contract "did not provide for any effective water treatment system, no regime, for the cooling towers."

At an earlier trial Barrow Borough Council, which owns Forum 28, was cleared of corporate manslaughter, but pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.

The trial continues.