Two companies received fines totalling £1.3 million following the death of a coach driver outside the Corniche development in London. The Health and Safety Executive confirmed sentencing at Inner London Crown Court on 24 September 2026.
The incident
Mick Ferris, 53, was killed on 2 October 2018 when a window unit fell from the development’s 26th floor. He had been returning to his coach during a break. HSE said the window weighed 130kg.
An earlier window had fallen during construction in August 2017, narrowly missing workers. The regulator’s investigation found that concerns identified after that incident had not been followed through effectively.
The court outcome
Following trial, St James Limited and Lindner Prater Limited were convicted of breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. St James was fined £1 million and Lindner Prater £300,000. Each company was ordered to pay £125,000 in costs.
HSE reported that the windows were subsequently redesigned to open inwards. Its account identifies the risk posed to people passing below when the original outward-opening windows were left open.
Editorial review: 17 October 2026. The original archive publication date and URL are retained; the review incorporates the dated primary evidence identified above.