Contractor Jailed for 12 Months After Teen Dies in Surrey Demolition Accident

A self-employed contractor has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after a 19-year-old worker fell to his deathduring demolition work at a property in Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey.

The incident

• On 16 August 2023, Thomas (Tom) Neate, 19, was helping demolish a garage on Glebe Road in preparation for an extension.

• Neate fell through an opening on the garage roof while removing tiles and suffered severe head injuries, dying several weeks later on 23 September 2023.

  
  

Investigation findingsThe Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found multiple failings by contractor Jason Hill, 59, of Ashford, Middlesex:

• No measures were in place to prevent a fall from height, despite obvious risks. No scaffolding, decking, or protective systems were used.

• Unsafe use of a mini-digger and failure to prevent public access to the site.

• No asbestos assessment was carried out. Corrugated concrete sheets later found to contain asbestos were removed by hand, exposing other workers and the household to hazardous fibres.

  
  

Court proceedings

• Hill pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 at Staines Magistrates Court on 30 January 2026.

• He was immediately jailed for 12 months, with no costs awarded.

HSE responseHSE inspector Jennifer Lester said:

“Jason Hill’s failure to put in place basic safety measures has cost a young man his life. The fact he has been sent to prison demonstrates just how seriously this has been taken.

“Working at height remains one of the most well-known and significant causes of death and injury in construction, and simple, recognised precautions would have protected Thomas Neate from harm.

“Even small contractors and individuals working on domestic projects have a legal duty to ensure the safety of workers and members of the public. Failing to take these precautions can have devastating consequences, as this tragic incident starkly demonstrates.”