Victim, who was crushed to death by a collapsing wall in absence of employer, said to be youngest killed on construction site

A builder was sentenced to three years in prison today for the death of a 15-year-old worker in April 2007.

Boss Colin Holtom had left employee Adam Gosling and his 18-year-old brother to knock down an unstable wall by an outdoor swimming pool in Hadley Wood. While the boys were unsupervised, the wall collapsed on top of the younger brother. He died instantly from head injuries.

The 64-year-old Holtom, from Latchingdon in Essex, was said to have a “laissez fair” attitude to safety. He pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey last week to the charge of manslaughter by gross negligence.

The prosecuting lawyer said Gosling was the youngest person to be killed on a construction site, and that he should not have been employed in that role at his age.

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