A developer and four individuals have been charged with manslaughter over the death of a woman killed by falling bricks from an east London building site.
Michaela Boor was on her way to her son Kieran’s nursery on March 27, 2018 when the pallet of bricks fell five storeys from a Higgins Home building development on Burdett Road in Bethnal Green.
Ms Boor was found lying among the rubble at around 9.30am, she was resuscitated at the scene by paramedics, but died in hospital two days later.
Her family made the painful decision to turn off her life support the day after her birthday.
On Monday, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that criminal charges are now being brought, after a seven-year investigation.
The construction company and four workers on the site have been charged.
“Following a review of the evidence from the Metropolitan Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), we have authorised criminal charges against a company and four individuals in relation to the death of 30-year-old Michaela Boor in 2018”, said Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS’s Special Crime Division.
“Ms Boor died after being struck by falling bricks as she walked on the pavement past a building site on the corner of Burdett Road in Bow, east London, on 27 March 2018.
“Higgins Homes PLC has been charged with corporate manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work Act offence, while Thomas Anstis, 68, Stephen Coulson, 68, Dawood Mann, 59, and Alexander McInnes 32, have each been charged with a single count of gross negligence manslaughter and offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against these defendants are now active and that they have the right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
The defendants are due to appear at Westminster magistrates court on June 16.
The Metropolitan Police said McInnes, of Islington, was a crane operator on the day of the incident, Maan, of Ashford Kent, was the crane supervisor, Coulson, of Hemel Hempstead, was “responsible for compiling the lifting plan for the site”, and Anstis, of Banstead, was the site manager and temporary works coordinator.
Ms Boor’s mother Alaina Selby spoke out in 2022 about delays in the investigation, seeking “closure”.
“We can’t move on and for me, each year is getting worse,” she told The Standard.
“Kieran is eight now and he starts to notice things. He says ‘why can’t we walk past the building, nanny?’… I always tell him to cross the road.”
