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| Meg Burgess wall death: Builder George Collier guilty of manslaughter | Meg Burgess wall death: Builder George Collier guilty of manslaughter |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A builder has been found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence after a three-year-old girl died when she was crushed by a collapsing wall. | A builder has been found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence after a three-year-old girl died when she was crushed by a collapsing wall. |
| Meg Burgess was walking home with her mother in Meliden, Denbighshire, in July 2008, when she died. | Meg Burgess was walking home with her mother in Meliden, Denbighshire, in July 2008, when she died. |
| George Collier, 49, of Kinmel Bay, Conwy, denied the charge during a three-week trial at Mold Crown Court. | George Collier, 49, of Kinmel Bay, Conwy, denied the charge during a three-week trial at Mold Crown Court. |
| Judge Merfyn Hughes adjourned sentence until later and gave bail to Collier, but told him he is facing jail. | |
| "You must understand that a custodial sentence is inevitable," said the judge. | |
| During the trial the jury heard that the wall failed after pressure from infill. | |
| In his closing speech, Bryan Cox QC, prosecuting, said the defendant demonstrated a "couldn't care less" attitude to health and safety. | In his closing speech, Bryan Cox QC, prosecuting, said the defendant demonstrated a "couldn't care less" attitude to health and safety. |
| The prosecution claimed that Mr Collier, who had 30 years' experience, should have realised it was a retaining wall. | The prosecution claimed that Mr Collier, who had 30 years' experience, should have realised it was a retaining wall. |
| Mr Cox said it needed to be secured to the foundations for added strength. | Mr Cox said it needed to be secured to the foundations for added strength. |
| Ronald Walker QC, defending, had told the jury it was a "natural human tendency" to want revenge. | Ronald Walker QC, defending, had told the jury it was a "natural human tendency" to want revenge. |
| But Mr Walker said the case had to be judged according to the evidence. | But Mr Walker said the case had to be judged according to the evidence. |