Colin Hooper of IC Roofing also received a £10,000 fine after worker's fatal fall

A roofer from Brighton has been jailed for 12 months after being found guilty of corporate manslaughter following the death of a worker who fell through a skylight.

Colin Hooper, founder of IC Roofing, had pleaded not guilty to corporate manslaughter although he admitted breaching a general duty to employees at work.

He was found guilty by a jury at Hove crown court on 22 January, and was sentenced today. Hooper was also given a £10,000 fine and disqualified from holding a director's position for three years. IC Roofing was also fined £20,000,

Employee Darren Hoofe fell to his death in 2005 while working on a roof without a safety harness or safety net below him, dying in hospital a day later of severe head injuries.

According to the Brighton Argus, Hooper had already been served with two prohibition notices by the health and safety authorities before the incident that led to Hoofe's death.


Man on roof
Unsafe practice on rooftops is a common problem in the industry