Uninsured Business Owner Sentenced Following Roof Fall

An uninsured business owner has been given a suspended prison sentence after an employee suffered life changing injuries from falling through a roof.

Gary Saville, 54, was given an 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months and told to complete 260 hours of unpaid work.

Trading as Bespoke Landscapes and Buildings in Pressall, Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancashire, the company owner had employed 31-year-old Jacob Black, also from Pressall, to replace skylights.

The rooflights were on the outbuilding roof of a farm in Pilling, Preston. On the 17 June 2024, Jacob fell through a fragile roof to the floor below while carrying out the job.

Jacob Black was taken by air ambulance to Preston Hospital and as a result of the incident, required two lung operations, collarbone surgery and sustained multiple bone fractures.

Breathless

Jacob Black said: “I have always been an active person and prior to the accident I cycled and used to enjoy walking with the family.

“Now I am unable to walk long distances and it has to be flat as I become very breathless.

“I also have restricted movement due to the communal fractures of the shoulder, which has caused poor movement in my right arm and makes everyday things, such as using a knife and fork and carrying items much more difficult.”

No Fall Prevention or Protection Measures

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Saville had instructed Jacob Black to walk across the fragile roof surface without any control measures, such as crawling boards and netting, in place to prevent or protect against a fall, ultimately leading to him falling through a fragile rooflight.

Falls from height remain a leading cause of workplace death and injury and HSE has detailed guidance on working at height.

Gary Saville of Pressall, Poulton Le Fylde, Lancashire pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of The Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and told to complete 260 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £700 costs at Warrington Magistrates Court on 16 June 2026.

At an earlier hearing on 10 February 2025, Saville also pleaded guilty to not having Employers’ Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI) at the time of the incident. Most employers are required by law to provide ELCI cover to ensure successful civil claims can be met. Further guidance can be found on the HSE website at Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 – HSE.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Paul Taylor said: “Falls from height remain the leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries in UK workplaces and Mr Black is lucky to be alive.

“No control measures were in place to ensure the work could be carried out safely. To make matters worse, the man who employed him to do the job didn’t even have insurance in place should anything have happened. Nobody should be put at risk through the failures of those in charge.”

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