Factory owner jailed over ‘horrific’ death of apprentice

A BUSINESSMAN has been jailed for eight months after a teenager was killed at his factory while on a Government-funded apprenticeship.

Cameron Minshull, 16, was dragged into an industrial steel-cutting lathe after his overalls became trapped in the machinery in a “horrific” incident, Manchester Crown Court heard.

The £3-an-hour apprentice was employed by Zaffar Hussain, who owned and ran Huntley Mount Engineering Ltd in Bury, with his son Akbar Hussain.

Mr Minshull’s apprentice- ship was funded by the Government’s Skills Training Agency, and he was placed at the firm by recruitment agency Lime People Training Solutions, who received a £4,500 Government payment.

However, there was no safety regime at the firm. The young ster s were left untrained and unsupervised and safety guards were taken off all the machinery, the court heard.

Mr Minshull, from Bury, had worked at the firm for a month before he was killed.

Huntley Mount Engineering admitted corporate manslaughter following Mr Minshull’s death on January 8, 2013, and was fined £150,000. Hussain, 59, admitted neglect under health and safety laws and was jailed for eight months and banned from being a company director for 10 years.

His son, Akbar, 35, a super- visor at the firm, admitted breaking health and safety legislation and was jailed for four months, suspended for a year, and given a £3,000 fine. Father and son and the firm were also each ordered to pay £15,000 in court costs. The recruitment agency was fined £75,000.