Rail chiefs escape corporate killing charges over Hatfield

Manslaughter charges against senior rail managers accused of killing four people who died in the Hatfield train disaster were thrown out in July.

The trial – one of the UK’s biggest corporate manslaughter trials – collapsed when Old Bailey judge, Mr Justice Mackay, ordered the jury to find the executives not guilty.

A corporate manslaughter charge against engineering giant Balfour Beatty was also dismissed.

As we went to press, the trial – which started in January – was continuing over health and safety-related charges only, with Balfour Beatty admitting breaching safety standards.

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TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the decision was a blow to the crash victims and the bereaved.

“It is further evidence for a new charge of corporate killing and for new legal duties on directors so that people are held responsible for such preventable incidents in future,” he added.