Black Country recycling firm bosses charged over death of worker three years ago

Stuart Towns, 34, died after suffering serious head injuries while working at Alutrade Limited in Tat Bank Road, Oldbury, in July 2017.

The father-of-one's death was the first of two workplace deaths in Oldbury in quick succession, with a factory worker killed in an explosion at recycling plant Environmental Solutions two weeks later.

The Health and Safety Executive launched an investigation into Mr Towns' death and now, three years on, detectives from West Midlands Police have charged Alutrade Limited with corporate manslaughter.

In addition, director Malcolm George, 53, from Bromsgrove; director Kevin Pugh, 44, from Sutton Coldfield; and manager Mark Redfern, 59, of Rowley Regis, have all been charged with gross negligence manslaughter.

They will appear at Walsall Magistrates Court for an initial hearing on September 23.

The family of Mr Towns, who lived in Oldbury, have released a statement today, describing Stuart as "full of life" and someone who always had a smile on his face.

They added that they hope their questions about his death will be answered now the charges have been made.

The statement said: "It has been almost three years since we sadly lost Stuart and there is not a day that passes that we don’t think of him.

“The past three years have been very painful and it breaks our hearts he is no longer with us.

“Following the news of the charges that have been made, we remain hopeful that our questions will be answered so we can begin to make sense of this tragedy.

“Stuart was loving, caring, generous, full of life and always had a smile on his face. He was always willing to help anyone that needed it and would never expect anything in return. His huge presence is greatly missed by us all.

“Those that knew Stuart will have fond memories to look back on. Stuart was always there for his family and friends.

“Stuart was a father of one, he was a loving son and brother, a good friend with a kind heart. He will be forever loved and always missed.”

Alutrade is a specialist recycler of aluminium cans and extrusion scrap and its factory in Oldbury covers 100,000 sq ft.