Two companies have admitted to breaching health and safety regulations following the tragic deaths of two workers who were found frozen to death at a chicken processing plant. Jonathan Collins, 34, and Neil Moon, 49, were subcontractors from a pest control company visiting the Banham Poultry Ltd factory in Norfolk when they were discovered deceased by the police in October 2018. The companies involved, Banham Poultry Ltd and Air Products PLC, pleaded guilty to health and safety offenses in connection to the incident.
During a coroner’s court review in 2024, it was reported that the two men were found with frozen hands and faces, along with evidence of frost on the floor. A full inquest is yet to be conducted. The companies were set to stand trial at Norwich Crown Court, facing charges of corporate manslaughter and failure to fulfill duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Banham Poultry Limited faced charges for not meeting their obligations under the Act, while Air Products PLC, based in Chertsey, was also charged with failing to discharge duties under the same legislation. Both companies denied the corporate manslaughter charges but admitted to the health and safety breaches, acknowledging a significant causal link to the harm caused.
The court accepted the guilty pleas for the health and safety offenses, leading to an adjournment of the sentencing to be held in a two-day hearing scheduled for March 31 and April 1. The devastated families of the deceased workers expressed their profound grief, highlighting the impact of the loss on their lives.
Banham Poultry’s ownership changed hands twice following the incident, with the factory being acquired by Chesterfield Poultry shortly after the deaths. In 2021, the business was taken over by the current owners, Boparan Private Office (BPO), under the leadership of Ranjit Boparan, the founder of 2 Sisters Food Group. It is important to note that the current management and owners of Banham Poultry are not linked to the tragic event or the legal proceedings.
