16 December 2023 , 10:52
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A wood and commercial waste services company boss has been jailed for seven and a half years after a worker fell into an industrial shredder.
David Willis, 29, was killed after falling into the machine designed to crush waste products at Timmins Waste Services, with the gruesome tragedy seeing the worker place his arm in the machine. Yard manager Brian Timmins, 54, had been in the cab of the digger and told Willis to clear the blockage in the shredder while it was running.
David was seen on police footage kneeling at the edge of the machine, reaching in but soon fell into the machine and was killed instantly by the meshing blades. Timmins then climbed on top of the hopper before moving away from the scene and pulling out his mobile phone.
David Willis was killed when he stuck his hand in an industrial shredder (West Midlands Police / SWNS)A call was made to Mr Willis' number, before Timmins climbed back into the digger and continued working, with the labourer's remains buried in shredded waste. A missing persons report was made by Willis' mother on September 15, 2018. The remains of her son will never be found, police say, as they were transported along with 80 tonnes of waste to a landfill site in Cannock, Staffordshire, on Timmins' orders. He was found guilty of manslaughter and jailed yesterday at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
Detective Inspector Jim Colclough of West Midlands Police said: "We found major, systemic failings across TWS which meant workers were put at risk. Risk assessments were not done, and safe methods of working were simply not put in place. Timmins’ failure to lock off the shredder, and his decision to put Mr Willis in a position of danger, directly caused this tragedy.
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"We spent many weeks searching the site at Cannock, but only found part of a tabard which may have belonged to David. The fact that we could not recover David has added to the anguish caused to his family, and denied them the chance to say goodbye to him with dignity."
Mr Willis’ family said in a statement: "David’s death is as painful for us now as it was five years ago. David has missed out on so many treasured family moments, including the birth of his niece and the growing up of his nephew, who still treats David as his superhero in the sky."