Woodbridge – Man charged with manslaughter in connection with construction incident in 2020

A 62-year-old man has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of another man, following a construction incident in Woodbridge which occurred almost four years ago.

Police were called at 4.30pm on Tuesday 15 December 2020, to an address in Haughgate Close, where a man who was undertaking renovation work on a house was reported to have sustained serious injuries.

A number of other emergency services personnel were also in attendance, but the man sadly died at the scene. The deceased was later identified as Dale Baker, aged 30, from Felixstowe.

A joint investigation was launched between the police Major Investigation Team and the Health and Safety Executive, which resulted in a case file being submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to consider a number of charges.

The CPS have now authorised the following five charges in respect of this incident.

Peter Clifford, of Holland Road, Felixstowe, charged with three offences:

• Gross negligence manslaughter;
• Failing to discharge the employer’s general duty under Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.
• Failing to discharge the employer’s general duty under Section 3 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974,

A further two charges have been made against Hintonwood East Anglia Ltd, c/o Peter Clifford (Director), as follows:

• Failing to discharge the employer’s general duty under Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.
• Failing to discharge the employer’s general duty under Section 3 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.

Clifford has been summonsed to appear before Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on Friday 15 November.