Rise in Corporate Manslaughter Cases

4th February 2013

Research shows that new corporate manslaughter cases opened by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) increased by 40 per cent between 2011-12.

Law firm Pinsent Masons revealed that the CPS opened 63 new corporate manslaughter cases in 2012, up from 45 in 2011.

In April 2008, the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 came into force, making it easier for large and medium-sized companies to be found guilty of corporate manslaughter for deaths arising from management failures that constituted a gross breach of a duty of care.

There have been only 3 corporate manslaughter convictions since the Act came in to force, but Pinsent Masons’ Partner, Simon Joyston-Becha, warns Directors and senior managers against making cuts that might adversely impact on safety:

“We can now see from these figures that there is a rapidly growing number of cases in the pipeline.”

If you have any concerns about risk management, please contact us.