The Northern Territory’s first industrial manslaughter trial is set to investigate the 2020 death of 60-year-old Alan Dinning, who fell through a void at a Bayview construction site.
Witnesses from across Australia and Greece are expected to testify in the landmark case.
Contractor Craig Williams, charged with industrial manslaughter in March 2023, will face trial next month. This marks the first case of its kind in the NT Supreme Court since industrial manslaughter laws were introduced in 2020.
However, Nick Papas, from the Work Health Authority, said there was a “faint possibility” the case might be resolved before trial.
“For the moment we’re nowhere near that,” he stated.
Defence lawyer Luke Officer suggested his client might consider pleading to a lesser charge, but noted that the two-year statute of limitations for non-manslaughter charges made it unlikely.
Justice Stephen Southwood also raised concerns about the complexity of the case, warning that the jury might struggle with the detailed facts.
Papas explained that the jury would be instructed on the employer’s duties and when a breach of duty leads to a fatality.
“If a duty fails to such a degree that it causes a death… then they’re guilty,” he said.
The trial will continue with a pretrial mention scheduled for February 17.
Source: NT News.
