A DAD was killed while walking his dog after a tree fell on him and a council has been fined £500,000.
Chris Hall, 48, was struck by the tree limb when he was out with his cocker spaniel, Benson, in The Carrs woodland in Wilmslow, on August 28, 2020.
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His heartbroken wife Fiona read a victim impact statement in court.
She said: “His death was utterly senseless and wholly avoidable,
“He was simply walking our dog on a dry, warm, summer’s day.
“His loss is colossal; his absence is immense and he leaves a void that can never be filled.”
Another large “limb” had fallen from the same tree just 11 months before Chris’ death.
It had been reported to Cheshire East Council and their grounds services contractor Ansa Environmental Services Ltd.
But Chester Magistrates Court heard no action had been taken apart from a visual inspection by Ansa.
Matt Reynolds, prosecuting, for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) told the court there were “significant” structural issues with the tree.
The HSE investigation concluded there had been no proper risk assessment done of the tree to see if it posed a danger to the public.
They found the council had not put enough in place despite Ansa officials raising concerns about the tree health.
At an earlier hearing both the local authority and Ansa admitted to breaching section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act by exposing the public to risk.
