Seventeen-year-old Daniel Dennis died within a week of starting work for North Eastern Roofing, which was subcontracted to Midas Construction.

Before the accident he had received no safety training, had not been given training for working at heights, and at the time of his death had not been wearing a harness and the skylight area had not been fenced off.

At an inquest on 15th March 2005 in Newport, the jury took less than 10 minutes to reach a verdict of unlawful killing. After representations to the CPS the family were informed that gross negligence manslaughter charges would not be brought.

Peter Dennis, Daniel’s father, said: “The CPS failed to bring charges which left us flabbergasted. Our son was killed within days of starting work, but there was no accountability for his employer.  How is that justice?  We want to ensure that other families never go through what we have.  The support that we’ve had from our trades union, the GMB, means that we will at last find out why no manslaughter charges were brought.  We want the CPS to re-open the case and review their original decision.”

On Thursday 30th November the High Court will review the decision of the CPS.  It is only the second time in legal history the CPS has been brought to court in a case involving a fatality at work.

Allan Garley, Regional Secretary of the GMB South Western Region, said:
“Too many workers are killed because of inadequate safety by negligent employers. It is time for the CPS to justify their failure to bring charges in cases such as this. The union is not after vengeance but employers have to be held to account for their actions.”