A HAMPSHIRE farmer who stands accused of manslaughter did not do enough to stop one of his employees falling through a skylight, prosecutors say.

Philip Tickner, 63, of Old Alresford, is charged with manslaughter through gross negligence over the death of Philip France, 57 at the time, on June 7, 2021. He denies the charge.

At Winchester Crown Court, the jury heard how Tickner had asked Mr France, along with two other farm workers, to dismantle the fibreglass roof of a lean-to shed adjoining a large barn at the 850-acre Upper Lanham Farm, which the defendant runs and partly owns.

At around 4.30pm that afternoon, Mr France fell through one of the “fragile” skylights in the roof, landing on the concrete floor three metres below. He died around a week later in hospital.

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Philip Tickner (Image: NQ)

Mark Watson KC, prosecuting, said: “Tickner did not put in place any precautions whatsoever to prevent or mitigate [Mr France’s fall]. He was present while the workers were walking across this roof. To compound matters, Mr France was a farm labourer who had no significant background, experience, or competence in roofing work.”

He added: “There is no evidence that Mr France had any qualifications or training to work at height.”

During his opening statement, Mr Watson asked for a piece of broken skylight recovered from the scene of the fall to be passed around by members of the jury so they could “get a feel for how fragile it is”.

The prosecution also noted how, the day after the incident, bails of straw were placed in the barn as a safety measure.

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The work was concluded that day, June 8, 2021, and workers were offered rudimentary forms of protection to finish dismantling the roof, including the use of a "man cage", which can be attached to a forklift and raised.

Mr Watson described Mr France as a "well-regarded and experienced farm worker" who charged about £11 per hour for the work he carried out from time to time at Upper Lanham Farm.

The trial is presided over by Mrs Justice Eady. Defending is Malcolm Galloway, assisted by Lucy Wright.