Hatfield crash: Unbelievably Balfour Beatty win a reduction in fine!!

Words fail me. Judges have agreed to cut £2.5m from the record fine handed to the engineering firm Balfour Beatty for safety failures, which led to the Hatfield rail disaster. They will be fined an amount equivalent to 5% of last year’s pre tax profits over the 2000 disaster. And the reduced fine represents around 2% of the £368 million that Balfour Beatty made from its seven-year rail contract with Railtrack.

“We consider that there is scope for a reduction in the interest of proportionality which will still do justice principles and in particular to the victims of the Hatfield disaster”, Lord Phillips, the Lord Chief Justice ruled.

Four people died and 102 were injured in the crash. Still no sign any Corporate Manslaughter legislation.