THREE Island Energy employees have formally entered not guilty please to ten manslaughter charges in connection with the Haut du Mont explosion three years ago.
Islands Energy CEO Graeme Millar, who appeared on behalf of Jersey Gas, also denied two charges under the health and safety law in relation to the same incident.
Both cases were in the Royal Court for the first time yesterday morning.
The three Jersey Gas staff – Neil Armstrong (56), Lee Ward (57) and John Wright (59) – were each charged with ten counts of manslaughter resulting from the gas explosion at Haut du Mont flats in Pier Road in 2022.
The court heard that two of the accused remain employed by the gas company, which now trades as Island Energy.
Mr Armstrong was represented in court by Advocate Rui Tremoceiro, Mr Ward was represented by Advocate Olaf Blakeley, and Mr Wright was represented by Advocate Mark Boothman.
Island Energy CEO Graeme Millar appeared in court on behalf of the company, which was represented by Advocate Mike Preston.
He denied two infractions of the health and safety law – an alleged failure to ensure the health and safety of employees at the company and others not in their employment.
Crown Advocate Simon Thomas was prosecuting.
Ten people were killed and two were injured in the Haut du Mont blast, just before 4am on 10 December 2022. All the victims were in their 60s and 70s.
They were Peter Bowler (72), Raymond Brown (71), Louise De Almeida (64), Romeu De Almeida (67), Derek Ellis (61), Sylvia Ellis (73), Jane Ralph (71), Ken Ralph (72), Billy Marsden (62) and Kathy McGinness (73).
The case was adjourned for a one day pre-trial directions hearing, which will be scheduled for sometime after 1 October, with a trial most likely to take place next year, the court heard.
