Company bosses jailed after two men died in tanker of toxic pig feed

The co-owners of a food waste recycling company have been jailed after two men died in a tanker of toxic pig feed. The men's families say they are still living with "unbearable" pain following their "cruel" deaths and that they "would still be here" had it not been for the gross negligence of their employers. Nathan Walker, 19, who became a dad just days after his death, and Gavin Rawson, 35, got into difficulties after being told to clear out the tanker at Greenfeeds Ltd in Leicestershire and could not be rescued by their co-workers or the emergency services in time to save their lives. The firm's manager, Gillian Leivers, 60, was yesterday jailed for 13 years for gross negligence manslaughter and breaking health and safety rules.

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A judge said she had shown a “blatant disregard for a high risk of death” while in charge of staff. Her husband Ian Leivers, 59, who was a director at the firm, was also sentenced to 20 months in prison.

Stewart Brown, 69, the firm’s transport manager, has been given a one year suspended sentence for breaking health and safety rules.

Investigators who carried out a probe into the double tragedy, which happened three days before Christmas in 2016, found a catalogue of health and safety breaches at Greenfeeds following the deaths, reports Leicestershire Live. The three bosses were also found to to have ignored previous concerns about safety relating to the toxic tanks.

The company is now in liquidation but was convicted of corporate manslaughter charges last week, following a six-week trial. They were handed a fine of £2m at the sentencing at Leicester Crown Court on Thursday.

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