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Parents of Carlisle lorry crush death man: We will sue
By Phil Coleman Chief reporter
Last updated at 11:29, Friday, 23 December 2011
The heartbroken parents of a young Carlisle man who was fatally injured in an accident involving an unqualified HGV driver say they will sue his employer.
Popular: Gary Mellor, 20, who died in MayPopular Gary Mellor, 20, suffered a ruptured liver when he was pinned against scaffolding by a reversing 18-ton truck, whose driver did not have a licence for HGVs.
An inquest this week heard a harrowing account of the accident on May 7 last year, along with claims that workers at Carlisle-based M&M Scaffolding regularly moved trucks on building sites despite being unqualified to drive them. The firm’s bosses repeatedly denied the allegation, saying only qualified HGV drivers drove its trucks.
The two-day hearing was told how trainee scaffolder Aaron Turnbull, 29, had gone to a building site in Aspatria on the morning of the tragedy.
After his boss Michael Graham left the site, Mr Turnbull, who held only a normal driving licence, decided to reposition a wagon, reversing it towards a scaffolding tower as Mr Mellor guided him back.
Mr Turnbull said he was reversing slowly when he saw Mr Mellor attempt to “squeeze” through a gap immediately behind the wagon.
It was at this point that the wagon crushed him, pinning him briefly against the scaffolding. Mr Turnbull pulled away, but his colleague collapsed and died a short time later, the inquest heard.
Throughout the hearing, Mr Mellor’s mother Margo, 49, and father, also called Gary, 52, and other close relatives listened intently to the evidence.
Speaking yesterday, Mrs Mellor confirmed that they intend to sue M&M Scaffolding.
She said: “We feel absolutely empty. Gary was our youngest child, and our boy – we also have three girls.
“He was such a happy lad, with loads of friends. There were nearly 600 people at his funeral. He loved his family, his friends and his football. He was an all-round popular and funny lad, who made people laugh.
“The inquest has left a lot of unanswered questions we need to have answered.”
During the inquest, former M&M Scaffolding worker Dean Shaw, a good friend of Gary Mellor, said he saw Mr Turnbull driving the truck involved in the accident from the firm’s Upperby depot to Aspatria on the day of the tragedy.
Asked how he could be sure it was on the day his friend had died, he said: “Because it was the last time I saw him.”
He denied having a grudge against the firm and making up the allegation.
In his evidence, Mr Graham insisted it was he who drove the truck to Aspatria. Aaron Turnbull drove a work’s van to the site, he said.
He also rejected the evidence of both Mr Turnbull and another employee, Marlon Ramsey, that it was “normal practice” for M&M staff to move wagons on building sites when the boss was not there.
The jury returned a verdict that Mr Mellor, of Mount Pleasant Road, Currock, had died as a result of an accident.
His family are being represented by the Workington law firm KJ Commons & Co.
Mr Turnbull no longer works for the scaffolding firm.
By Phil Coleman Chief reporter
Last updated at 11:29, Friday, 23 December 2011
The heartbroken parents of a young Carlisle man who was fatally injured in an accident involving an unqualified HGV driver say they will sue his employer.
Popular: Gary Mellor, 20, who died in MayPopular Gary Mellor, 20, suffered a ruptured liver when he was pinned against scaffolding by a reversing 18-ton truck, whose driver did not have a licence for HGVs.
An inquest this week heard a harrowing account of the accident on May 7 last year, along with claims that workers at Carlisle-based M&M Scaffolding regularly moved trucks on building sites despite being unqualified to drive them. The firm’s bosses repeatedly denied the allegation, saying only qualified HGV drivers drove its trucks.
The two-day hearing was told how trainee scaffolder Aaron Turnbull, 29, had gone to a building site in Aspatria on the morning of the tragedy.
After his boss Michael Graham left the site, Mr Turnbull, who held only a normal driving licence, decided to reposition a wagon, reversing it towards a scaffolding tower as Mr Mellor guided him back.
Mr Turnbull said he was reversing slowly when he saw Mr Mellor attempt to “squeeze” through a gap immediately behind the wagon.
It was at this point that the wagon crushed him, pinning him briefly against the scaffolding. Mr Turnbull pulled away, but his colleague collapsed and died a short time later, the inquest heard.
Throughout the hearing, Mr Mellor’s mother Margo, 49, and father, also called Gary, 52, and other close relatives listened intently to the evidence.
Speaking yesterday, Mrs Mellor confirmed that they intend to sue M&M Scaffolding.
She said: “We feel absolutely empty. Gary was our youngest child, and our boy – we also have three girls.
“He was such a happy lad, with loads of friends. There were nearly 600 people at his funeral. He loved his family, his friends and his football. He was an all-round popular and funny lad, who made people laugh.
“The inquest has left a lot of unanswered questions we need to have answered.”
During the inquest, former M&M Scaffolding worker Dean Shaw, a good friend of Gary Mellor, said he saw Mr Turnbull driving the truck involved in the accident from the firm’s Upperby depot to Aspatria on the day of the tragedy.
Asked how he could be sure it was on the day his friend had died, he said: “Because it was the last time I saw him.”
He denied having a grudge against the firm and making up the allegation.
In his evidence, Mr Graham insisted it was he who drove the truck to Aspatria. Aaron Turnbull drove a work’s van to the site, he said.
He also rejected the evidence of both Mr Turnbull and another employee, Marlon Ramsey, that it was “normal practice” for M&M staff to move wagons on building sites when the boss was not there.
The jury returned a verdict that Mr Mellor, of Mount Pleasant Road, Currock, had died as a result of an accident.
His family are being represented by the Workington law firm KJ Commons & Co.
Mr Turnbull no longer works for the scaffolding firm.
