Roy Clark of North Eastern Roofing admits charge on eve of crown court trial

The owner of a roofing firm has pleaded guilty to manslaughter following the death of a teenage employee who had joined the firm only a week earlier.

Roy Clark of North Eastern Roofing admitted the charge in relation to the death of 17-year-old Daniel Dennis on the eve of his trial at Cardiff crown court.

Dennis, from Bridgend, died after falling through a skylight at the Matalan store in Cwmbran on 8 April 2003, after going onto the roof to look for a piece of timber for a colleague.

Clark, aged 50 and also from Bridgend, has been released on unconditional bail before being sentenced at Swansea crown court in a few weeks鈥� time.

The prosecution follows judicial review proceedings backed by the GMB union and solicitors acting for the victim鈥檚 family. The Crown Prosecution Service had originally decided not to bring a criminal prosecution but the decision was overturned by the High Court.

A High Court judge said in December 2006 that a solicitor acting for the CPS had not taken into account the 鈥渟eriousness of a failure to give proper instruction not to go on the roof prior to induction or proper instruction鈥�.

The case was not opened, but adjourned for sentence on 28 April.

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