Dad-of-two killed on his way home from watching FA cup final after plunging down a footpath hole dug by workmen

A DAD-OF-TWO’s dead body was found “upside down” after he fell into a workmen’s hole while walking home from watching the FA Cup in a pub. 

Father-of-two Matthew Wilmot, 40, had been watching the Arsenal V Chelsea match when a taxi dropped near his home in Luton.

family picLuton Town fan Matt Wilmot was found dead in an excavation hole in a road near his home[/caption]

sbna_fairleysThe excavation hole had been dug by contractors in Devon Road, Luton[/caption]

He plunged down the hole  shortly after 12.30am on Sunday, May 28, that had only recently been dug out by workmen for a water company that had not been properly made safe, Luton Crown Court heard.

The next day at 7am a neighbour found his lifeless body “upside down” in the hole in Devon Road.

Today the water company responsible for the excavation of the hole and making sure it was left in a safe state was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of a further £50,238

M&S Water Services (Utilities) Ltd who had been contracted to carry out the work by Affinity Water, appeared at Luton crown court for sentence.

The company, which is based in Luton, had been found guilty earlier this year after an eight day trial of failing to discharge a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act by not ensuring that people not in its employment were not put as risk

Passing sentence Judge Mark Bishop said the job, which was to dig a hole to locate a stop tap, has been carried out by workers for M&S Water Services on the morning of Thursday May 25, 2017.

The judge said it was clear that the excavation of the hole was on a footpath which would be used by people to move objects like wheelie bins past it to a collection point.

He said the site had “started to get untidy.”

SOUTH BEDS NEWS AGENCY 01582 572Luton Crown Court heard Matt Wilmot had been walking home after a day spent watching the FA Cup final and drinking.[/caption]

Judge Bishop added: “I am satisfied the jury accepted the evidence that this site had not been left safe.

“If the hole had been filled with more soil and been covered either measure would have reduced or eliminated the risk to the public.

“I am quite satisfied there was a foreseeable risk to members of the public by the way this excavation was left and that’s what the jury found as well.”