Builder Jailed for Manslaughter After Worker Crushed by Falling Wall
Paramjit Singh, 48, from Southampton, has been slapped with a three-year-and-three-month prison sentence for gross negligence manslaughter. The verdict came after a two-week trial at Winchester Crown Court on 20 October, with sentencing delivered on 3 December.
Fatal Collapse Could Have Been Prevented
Singh, formerly owner and manager of SAB Builders, was also handed a one-year sentence for breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Both sentences will run concurrently.
The charges followed a joint investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and police into the death of Kulwant Singh Athwal, 64, from Southampton. On 16 July 2019, emergency services received a call reporting the discovery of Athwal’s body at a demolition site in Ling Dale.
Athwal had been working under Singh, clearing a garden and garage ahead of an extension project at Birchdene, Chilworth. The day before the tragedy, Singh had demolished all but one wall of the garage but left no warning signs or barriers to mark the danger.
Careless Safety Blunders
On the morning of 16 July, Singh returned to tear down the final wall. Crucially, he did not set up any exclusion zones or confirm the locations of his workers before operating heavy machinery. Tragically, Athwal was on the other side when the wall collapsed, crushing him.
Dr Basil Purdue, Home Office Pathologist, confirmed the cause of death was crushing injuries consistent with a heavy object falling.
Hampshire Constabulary’s Detective Chief Inspector Kate Gunson led the investigation, highlighting the avoidable nature of the tragedy.
“This was an extremely tragic case resulting in the completely avoidable death of Kulwant Singh Athwal. It is a tragedy for all involved. We hope that lessons will be learned that prevent this from ever happening again.”
Safety Failings Shine Spotlight on Building Sector
HSE inspector James Lucas blasted Singh’s failure to properly plan or risk assess the demolition work.
“All demolition work, however large or small, has the potential of serious risk if it is not properly planned and controlled. Simple safety measures like physical barriers to exclude workers from danger zones could have saved a life.”
“There are no winners here. Kulwant lost his life because of basic safety oversights. Singh will now carry the burden of causing another person’s death.”
“We urge all small builders to educate themselves via the HSE website to ensure they plan, manage, and monitor construction work safely. Safety laws protect every worker, regardless of background.”
This case serves as a grim reminder that cutting corners on safety can have deadly consequences.
