A WATER company is being prosecuted for the death of a worker who is alleged to have been crushed by a vehicle.

Raymond Holmes from Rayleigh is said to have been working at Thames Water’s Coppermill Lane Site in Walthamstow when in collision with the vehicle.

The company is being prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive in a case being heard at Southwark Crown Court.

Mr Holmes, 60, was involved in an incident with a vehicle while working in a confined space at the Walthamstow site which resulted in the loss of his life.

He was an employee of Thames Water at the time and a member of the GMB trade union.

The Crown Prosecution Service gave serious consideration to placing workplace manslaughter charges in this case but decided against it earlier this year passing the case to the Health and Safety Executive which has laid charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

The incident happened on April 30 2010 drawing criticism from unions about the length of time the case has taken to go to court.

Dave Knight, President of Waltham Forest Trades Council said: “It is very wrong that it has taken over four years for this case to get to court. This delay can only have added to the family’s suffering.”

Waltham Forest Trades Council, a local TUC body, has remembered Raymond and others who have died at work in the area every year on Workers Memorial Day, held annually on April 28 calling for an end to deaths and injuries at work.

The case has been adjourned until September 26.