Jury inquest into deaths of son and dad working on city centre building to begin

A jury inquest into the deaths of a dad and son who died while working on a Liverpool city centre building will begin today. Clayton Bottomley, 17, and his dad David, 53, died following an incident at the Unity Building at the corner of Chapel Street and Rumford Place, where the pair had been working, at 3.30pm on May 19, 2021.

David died at the scene, while Clayton died in hospital four days later. At a pre-inquest hearing in July 2023, coroner Johanna Thompson announced the investigation would be held with a jury, as the law states this must occur when a death was caused by an accident, poisoning or disease reported to a government department or inspector.

That inquest is listed to begin at 10am today (September 16) at Gerard Majella Courthouse on Boundary Street, Vauxhall. It will be held by Johanna Thompson and is listed for the entire week.

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Evidence from the Health and Safety Executive will be produced, along with evidence from witnesses and those involved in the Unity site.

The father and son, from West Yorkshire, worked together as insulation fitters and were described as 'peas in a pod' by family friends. A note left near the scene of the industrial incident in 2021 read: "To Dave and Clayton, my old friend and his son, we never made that catch up drink and that I will always miss. Always a smile on your face. You both will be sorely missed, save a seat at the bar for me."

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