Building company and four men charged with causing death of woman

Met detectives have charged both Higgins Homes PLC and four men in connection with the death of a woman in Bethnal Green in 2018.

Michaela Boor, 28, was struck by a pallet containing more than two tonnes of bricks that fell from a tower crane on a Higgins Homes building development in St Pauls Way in Bethnal Green at approximately 09:00hrs on Tuesday, 27 March 2018.

She died in hospital the following day.

The charges following an investigation by the Met and the Health and Safety Executive.

Higgins Homes PLC, a construction company that develops and builds properties across London and the south east, was charged by postal requisition on Wednesday, 7 May with corporate manslaughter and offences under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Four men have also been charged by postal requisition with gross negligence manslaughter and offences under section 7 the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. They are:

• Alexander McInnes, 32 (26.07.1992) of Islington, a crane operator on the day of Michaela’s death, was charged on Thursday, 8 May.
• Dawood Maan, 59 (30.07.1965) of Ashford Kent, a crane supervisor, was charged on Wednesday, 30 April.
• Stephen Coulson, 68 (31.10.1956) of Hemel Hempstead, responsible for compiling the lifting plan for the site was charged on Wednesday, 30 April.
• Thomas Anstis, 68, (13.04.1957) of Banstead, the Site Manager and Temporary Works Coordinator, was charged on Thursday, 8 May.

All are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 16 June.

Specialist officers continue to support Michaela’s family.