Mint's shock at 'unlawful killing'

The Mint is taking legal advice over the unlawful killing verdict

The Royal Mint admits it is "shocked" at in inquest verdict of unlawful killing on a worker who was crushed to death at the south Wales plant almost two years ago.

The organisation is taking legal advice on the outcome - the equivalent of manslaughter in a criminal case - even though it has escaped court action because it has Crown.

Relatives of the 50-year-old victim, John Wynne, who have been campaigning for someone to be held responsible for his death, are said to be delighted with the verdict.

An inquest in Merthyr on Friday heard that he was killed when a six-tonne furnace fell on him at the factory in Llantrisant, near Pontypridd, in June 2001.

Warnings

The furnace carrying metal to be made into coins toppled 12ft onto the father of two after falling from a damaged crane hook.

The hearing was told the safety indicator on the side of the furnace was not working properly after being damaged three months earlier.

Lawyer John Venmore told the inquest: "This organisation had no regard for the safety of the operation at the time and had not done so for some considerable time.

The Mint manufactures coins for countries all over the world

"It is as plain as a pikestaff that they were ignoring the warning indicator and were taking a reckless risk over the safety of employees.

"It is a case beyond normal negligence and amounted to reckless disregard. There was a very serious risk of a fatality occurring.

"This organisation simply carried on in circumstances which were monstrously dangerous.

"Not to have done anything about it was asking for trouble."

The inquest heard that in the safety manual there were five warnings about the operation.

Immunity

Last year, Mr Wynne's family spoke about their anger at an archaic law which meant no-one could be prosecuted.

Health and Safety officials had told them there was a clear-cut case against the Royal Mint - but the body could not seek a prosecution because it has Crown immunity.

Mr Wynne's family said at the time the Royal Mint was using the ancient and outdated law to sweep his death under the carpet.

His widow Tina Wynne said: "There was an incident in September and if maintenance had checked it, this would never have happened, they would have realised it was faulty.

The Royal Mint has already admitted liability for Mr Wynne's death but was spared a public hearing at proceedings in Cardiff which were behind closed doors.

A spokesperson said the accident was "deeply regretted".

Report

But added: "We are shocked at the verdict, particularly in the light of the coroner's direction to the jury that the verdict should be accidental death.

"We will now be taking legal advice. The Mint has always taken its responsibilities towards safety seriously, and we worked closely and constructively with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) throughout its investigation.

"The Health and Safety Executive has acknowledged that the Royal Mint has incorporated significant improvements to its overall safety procedures."

Mr Wynne had worked at the Mint for more than 20 years.

A hearing of Crown Censure Proceedings by the Health and Safety Executive was told his death was "an accident waiting to happen".

An HSE statement read: "The judgement of the presiding officer was that, but for Crown immunity, there would have been sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of a conviction in the courts."

A confidential report was issued to the Health and Safety Executive, the Royal Mint and the government - but not to the Wynne family.