Uninsured business owner sentenced after man fell through roof
- Gary Saville instructed man to carry out roof work but wasn’t insured in the event of injury.
- Jacob Black, 31, fell through skylight and was taken to hospital by air ambulance.
- The roof work was carried out without any control measures in place.
An uninsured business owner from Lancashire has been given a suspended prison sentence after an employee suffered life changing injuries falling through a roof.
Gary Saville, 54, (trading as Bespoke Landscapes and Buildings) from Pressall in Poulton-Le-Fylde, was given an 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months and told to complete 260 hours of unpaid work.
He had employed 31-year-old Jacob Black to replace skylights on a farm outbuilding in Pilling, Preston, on the 17 June 2024, but he fell through a fragile roof to the floor below while carrying out the job.
Mr Black, also from Pressall, was taken by air ambulance to Preston Hospital and as a result of the incident, required two lung operations, collarbone surgery as well as sustaining multiple bone fractures.
In a victim personal statement, 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.”
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Saville had instructed Mr 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 roof light.
Falls from height remain a leading cause of workplace death and injury and HSE has detailed guidance eon working at height and it can be read at hse.gov.uk.
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 incident, 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.”
This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Samantha Tiger and paralegal officer Stephen Grabe.
Further information:
- The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
- More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
- Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
- Relevant guidance can be found here – Work at height – HSE.
- HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.