Yahoo News 'Heartbroken' family barred from seeing dad in chapel of rest after horror crash
The grieving family of a council grass-cutter killed at work remain devastated after their loved-one's death. An inquest has this week ruled that Stoke-on-Trent City Council worker Craig Pointon died as a result of a road traffic collision.
The 50-year-old, from Sneyd Green, had been cutting grass verges when he was struck by a van towing a trailer and being driven by a colleague on Canal Lane, in Longport, in May 2022. He suffered fatal head injuries after working for the council for around 25 years.
The family remain unhappy that the van driver - Robert Dean, who had only worked at the council for five weeks - did not attend the Stoke inquest in person.
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The inquest heard that Stoke-on-Trent City Council has tightened procedures following the tragedy. Changes include a 45-minute competency driving test which is now signed off by another department, records stored on a database, and tighter rules around the corporate induction for new starters.
In a statement following the inquest, Craig's loved-ones said: "As a family we are appalled that it has taken nearly two-and-a-half years to get to the final inquest. As discussed in court, despite having no documented proof of being able to drive with a trailer and no signed risk assessments, Robert Dean was still allowed and instructed to take out a van and trailer which on this day resulted in our dad's death.
"We were even more heartbroken when we were told that our dad's injuries were so severe that we would be the first family in 29 years to not be able to see our father at the chapel of rest. We have been completely taken aback throughout this entire ordeal."
