Tom Gent

Notable Cases

• Regulatory

  Gateshead Council v Fresh Element Ltd (2021)– serving buffet containing peanuts to a party in an art gallery where advance warning that a man with a nut allergy was attending.

• East Riding of Yorkshire Council v Strawberryfields Events Limited (2021) – Gate to car boot sale site swung open, penetrating car windscreen and causing injury to driver at exit.

• HSE v Azura Soft Furnishing Ltd. (2021) – entrapment in duvet folding machine at premises in Oldham.

• HSE v Alfaplas Ltd (2021)– entanglement in printing machine. Large organisation based in Hereford.

• HSE v Yorkshire Game Farm. (2021) Gas explosion in a barn containing game birds.

• HSE v Superior Machines Ltd. (2021) Loss of limb by entrapment on a lathe at premises in North Yorkshire.

• HSE v SGS Construction Limited. (2021) Fall from height on construction site in county Durham.

• HSE v Grayton Building Contractors Limited.(2021) Fall from ladder at domestic premises near Warrington

• HSE v Leeds Bradford Boiler Company Ltd. (2020-1) Life changing injury to employee in valve manufacturing plant when a steel plate fell on his arm. Fine imposed at lower court reduced on appeal to Leeds Crown Court.

• Derbyshire Fire Authority v Gbolade (2020-21)– prosecution of a dentist in Derby for breach of fire safety regulations.

• R v Northallerton Heating Centre and Flintoft. (2020) Corporate manslaughter. Plea on a basis by Company, director not proceeded against. Leeds Crown Court.

• HSE v Acrivarn Ltd (2020)– facial disfigurement caused by angle grinder being used at height at oven manufacturer in Bradford.

• R v Mark Bray, Roofing Consultants Ltd, Richard Lennon, High Ridge Roofing solutions Ltd and Abbey Architectural Ironmongery Ltd. (2019) -co-defendant Company and individual faced manslaughter charges arising out of an accident where a worker fell from a warehouse roof. Successful half time submission after 5 weeks of prosecution evidence.

• HSE v TATA Chemicals Europe Ltd. and Capper Industrial Contractors Ltd. (2018)– Allegation in relation to work within a confined space at a lime plant in Cheshire.

• Crime

  R v Everett & Szambelan (2021) – Representing second defendant who faced a charge of aiding and abetting an offence of causing death by dangerous driving. Acquitted by jury at Norwich Crown Court following 2-week trial.

• R v Bhatti (2021) – causing death by careless driving. Allegation related to Defendant turning across the path of a motorcycle. Acquitted by jury at Teesside Crown Court.

• R v Johnson (2021) – causing death by careless driving. Elderly defendant pressed wrong pedal and reversed into a pedestrian in a car park. Financial penalty.

• R v Clague (2021) – causing death by careless driving. Collision with cyclist on roundabout. Non- custodial.

• R v Hurst (2020) – Not guilty verdict in causing death by careless driving case. Turning across a motorcycle whose headlight was unlawfully dim.

• R v Zahouri (2020) – causing serious injury by dangerous driving at Chelmsford Crown Court. French national, driving on the wrong side of the road, collided with bus coming in opposite direction. Non-custodial sentence.

• R v Garrington (2020) – allegation that Defendant deliberately drove at a pedestrian following a road rage incident. Non-custodial sentence.

• R v Smith (2020) – non-custodial disposal in causing serious injury by dangerous driving case where Defendant had driven despite warnings that she was suffering a hypoglycaemic attack.

• R v Bristow (2020) – successful half time submission in trial at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court. Turning across a motorcycle.

• R v Hyland (2020) – Causing death by careless driving, Chester Crown Court. Collision with motorcyclist at exit to a hotel.

• R v Rolph (2020) – Not guilty verdict in allegation of causing death by careless driving before Basildon Crown Court. Defendant had turned across the path of a speeding car when distracted by a break-in at his place of employment.

• R v Bingley (2020) – Not guilty verdict in allegation of causing death by careless driving before Nottingham Crown Court, in circumstances where the Defendant had seen the motorcycle that he collided with, but might have misjudged its speed.

• R v Morris (2020) – Not guilty verdict in relation to an allegation of causing serious injury by dangerous driving before Carlisle Crown Court.

• R v McDermott (2019) – Successful halftime submission in relation to an allegation of causing death by careless driving at Leicester Crown Court.

• R v Tait (2019) – Not guilty verdict in causing death by careless driving trial before Durham Crown Court. Issues relating to conspicuity and blinding sunlight.