FAWLEY Oil Refinery bosses have today pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety rules following the death of one if its workers.

Juan Romero was working on a fuel tanker which had docked at the giant Esso-owned site in August 2008 when he was crushed to death by a giant fuel pipe that fell on top of him.

The Crown Prosecution Service has previously said that the pipe was connected to a jib which gave way when a "severely corroded" connector bolt failed.

Following a lengthy police investigation both Esso Petroleum Company Ltd and contractors Austin & McLean Ltd faced charges in relation to the incident.

Today at Winchester Crown Court defence barrister Richard Latham QC, representing Esso, said he had been instructed to formally enter a guilty plea to one of five charges the company was facing.

Daily Echo:

He told the court that the company board had collectively decided to admit guilt over a charge of failing to ensure that lifting equipment was maintained in an efficient state, working order and in good repair.

Mr Latham went on to tell the court that Esso would contest the other charges on the indictment which surround a failure to ensure the health and safety and welfare of employees, non employees and its premises at Fawley.

The prosecution said it will not be offering any evidence in relation to those charges.

At a previous hearing, contractors Austin & McLean Ltd, who were brought in by Esso to carry out the inspections into lifting equipment on the site, admitted a charge of failing to ensure the health and safety of non employees, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Sentencing is expected to take place in December where both companies could face hefty fines.

A spokesman for Esso Petroleum Company, Limited (Esso) confirmed the firm had pleaded guilty to a single charge and that other charges had been dropped.

He said he could not comment on the specifics of the case while legal action was continuing.