Peter Clifford, 62, of Felixstowe, charged with manslaughter in connection with construction incident in Woodbridge in 2020

A 62-year-old man has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of another man following a construction incident in Woodbridge almost four years ago.

Police were called at 4.30pm on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, to an address in Haughgate Close, where a man who was undertaking renovation work on a house was reported to have suffered serious injuries.

A number of other emergency services personnel attended, but the man, Dale Baker, 30, of Felixstowe, died at the scene.

A joint investigation was launched between the police Major Investigation Team and the Health and Safety Executive, which resulted in a case file being submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to consider a number of charges.

The CPS has now authorised the following five charges.

Peter Clifford, of Holland Road, Felixstowe, is charged with three offences:
- Gross negligence manslaughter.
- Failing to discharge the employer’s general duty under Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.
- Failing to discharge the employer’s general duty under Section 3 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.

A further two charges have been made against Hintonwood East Anglia Ltd, c/o Peter Clifford (Director), as follows:
- Failing to discharge the employer’s general duty under Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.
- Failing to discharge the employer’s general duty under Section 3 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.

Clifford has been summonsed to appear before Suffolk Magistrates’ Court on Friday, November 15.