A Teesside engineering and fabrications firm has been cleared of health and safety breaches after a handyman was electrocuted in a barn.
Stockton family firm Francis Brown Ltd was found not guilty of the charge it faced three days into a trial at Teesside Crown Court.
The judge, Recorder James Brown, found there was no case to answer.
He directed jurors to acquit the company of failing to discharge its duty under the Electricity at Work Regulations, contrary to the Health and Safety at Work Act.
The company had always denied the charge.
Its managing director today said it was a relief to have the company’s name cleared after an “unnecessarily protracted” court case.
The case concerned the tragic death of 59-year-old Leslie Buller in an open barn on March 15, 2012.
The court heard that the bricklayer and handyman was installing a socket outlet at Moor House Farm in Stillington, near Stockton, when he died from an electric shock.
The fatal accident happened when he came into contact with live circuits at the home of company director Simon Brown, a jury was told.
Managing director Jamie Brown said today: “It’s a relief to the good name of the company and a record untarnished.
“The circumstances of this tragic accident to our great friend had already created an enormous amount of pain and suffering for his loving family, and ours.
“It was unnecessarily protracted, awaiting the outcome of this trial.”
He said the company was cleared mainly on the grounds that Mr Buller was not under its control at the time of his death.
Mr Brown added: “We can now hopefully have some closure, although he’ll always be sadly missed by us all.”
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