Food Waste Firm Fined £2M After Workers Drowned in Pig Feed Tanker
A food waste recycling company was slapped with a massive £2 million fine after being found guilty of corporate manslaughter following the tragic deaths of two employees. Nathan Walker, 19, and Gavin Rawson, 35, drowned after falling into a semi-liquid pig feed tanker on the road in a horrific accident.
Fatal Incident at Greenfeeds Ltd, Leicestershire
The tragedy struck at Greenfeeds Ltd in Normanton, Bottesford, Leicestershire, back in December 2016. The Leivers family owned and ran the company, which turned recycled products into bio-fuel and pig feed, delivered via haulage tankers.
During a six-week trial at Leicester Crown Court, the firm—now in liquidation—was convicted last week of corporate manslaughter. Greenfeeds Ltd admitted failing to ensure employee health and safety under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Executives Sentenced to Prison
- Gillian Leivers, 60, office and accounts manager, was jailed for 13 years after being found guilty of two counts of gross negligence manslaughter. She was also banned from being a company director for 15 years.
- Ian Leivers, 59, managing director, was sentenced to 20 months for health and safety breaches and disqualified from being a director for 10 years.
- Stewart Brown, 69, transport manager, received a suspended one-year sentence after being cleared of manslaughter but found guilty of failing to take reasonable care for others’ safety.
How the Tragedy Unfolded
On December 22, 2016, Nathan Walker climbed inside a tanker to clean out leftover pig feed. He quickly got into trouble, prompting Gavin Rawson to jump in and try to rescue him. Both men drowned despite emergency services’ efforts.
Post-mortem reports showed the men were likely overcome by toxic fumes or lack of oxygen in the tanker, causing them to lose consciousness and fall into the feed.
Horrifying Safety Failings Revealed
Investigations by Leicestershire Police and the Health and Safety Executive exposed glaring safety failures. Greenfeeds had no proper risk assessments or safety procedures for cleaning the tankers. Employees had to enter the tanker with a power washer but without breathing apparatus or personal protective equipment.
Workers had repeatedly raised alarms about the dangerous cleaning method, but their concerns were ignored. The company also lacked a dedicated health and safety officer.
Detective Constable Kirsty Iqbal said: “Nathan Walker and Gavin Rawson were two young men with their whole lives ahead of them. They went to work where their safety should have been the priority, but instead, a deadly system put them in grave danger.
Their deaths should never have happened. My thoughts are with their families, who have endured unimaginable pain during this investigation.”
The sentencing brings some justice after years of heartache for the families of Nathan Walker and Gavin Rawson.
