Bosley Mill managers cleared over 2015 explosion

Two managers of a wood mill have been cleared of health and safety offences following an explosion which killed four people in 2015.

A jury was directed to return not guilty verdicts for Wood Flour Mills mill manager Peter Shingler and operations manager Philip Smith.

Manslaughter charges were dropped against the mill owner on Thursday. 

Dorothy Bailey, Derek William Barks, Derek Moore and Jason Shingler died in the blast in Bosley.

Wood Treatment Ltd and mill owner George Boden have admitted a health and safety offence each.

Speaking after the case, Det Ch Insp Paul Hughes, who led the investigation, said: “We understand that this will not be what the families had hoped for and that it will not take away from the devastating loss they feel.

“We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for everyone involved and we are continuing to support the families as they come to terms with the outcome.”

George Boden was a director of Wood Treatment Ltd when the explosion happened at Wood Flour Mills on 17 July.

The exact cause of the fatal blast is not known, but it was thought to have involved an explosion of wood dust, the trial heard.

On Friday, prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC, said following events in court on Thursday, the prosecution will not continue to seek guilty verdicts in the case of Mr Smith, 58, of Raglan Road, Macclesfield, and Mr Shingler, 56, of Tunstall Road, Bosley.

Judge Mrs Justice May ruled there was not enough evidence to prove that gross negligence caused the explosion.

Mr Boden and Wood Treatment Ltd will be sentenced on 18 June.

Ms Bailey, 62, from Bosley, was a cleaner at the site, Derek William Barks, known as Will, 51, from Leek, was a maintenance fitter, Mr Moore, 62, of Goldenhill, Stoke-on-Trent, was a maintenance fitter and Mr Shingler, 38, of North Rode, whose body was never recovered, a charge hand.