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Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Glasgow Times
Verdict of FAI into death of Glasgow schoolboy Shéa Ryan
Shéa Ryan died after falling down an open manhole on July 16, 2020, after gaining access to a construction site in the north-west of Glasgow through an unsecured fence along with a number of other children. A Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) into the 10-year-old's death was held between August 26 to September 9 last year. Now, the Crown and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) confirmed the determination from the discretionary FAI has been published. In his determination, Sheriff Stuart Reid found that there were five reasonable precautions that could have been taken by Amey Black & Veatch and RJ McLeod (Contractors) Limited, which may have realistically resulted in Shéa's death being avoided. Sheriff Reid also made eight recommendations within a 126-page document. READ NEXT: Report to prosecutors after Frank McAveety charged Seven were for the health and safety executive to review existing practises, policies, and procedures and to consider revising them. These included a review of published guidance to protect children, record incidents of perimeter breaches, prevent unauthorised access to incomplete manholes and promote cooperation and information sharing between principal contractors. The eighth recommendation was that Glasgow City Council and other local authorities should review and consider revising practises, procedures, and policies to ensure that risk assessments are carried out for children's play parks where there are nearby construction sites. READ NEXT: Man dies after falling out window in Glasgow city centre Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on fatalities investigations for COPFS, said: 'Shéa Ryan's tragic death has been a catastrophic loss for his family. 'They have my deepest sympathy as they continue to deal with the pain they have suffered. Shéa's death occurred in circumstances giving rise to significant public concern and as such a discretionary Fatal Accident Inquiry was instructed. 'The sheriff's determination is detailed and notes recommendations in relation to reasonable precautions that could have been taken to avoid Shéa's death and identified learning to help avoid such incidents happening to other children in the future. 'This FAI followed a thorough and comprehensive investigation by the Procurator Fiscal, who ensured that the full facts and circumstances of Shéa's death were presented in evidence.' This FAI followed the prosecution of RJ McLeod (Contractors) Limited in April 2023 for a contravention of health and safety legislation, which led to Shéa's death. The Procurator Fiscal decided that it was in the public interest to hold an FAI to examine the full circumstances surrounding Shéa's death. It was also held to identify the learning and help to avoid such incidents in the future. Unlike a criminal trial, an FAI seeks to establish the facts surrounding the death and is not a hearing which apportions blame. A spokesperson for Digby Brown Solicitors, who represented the family of Shea Ryan, said: 'This determination shows Shea's death was an avoidable tragedy. Despite concerns being raised about the unauthorised access at the site, the main contractors failed to take steps to secure it and deal with hazards which might have prevented Shea's death. 'There will never be the words that accurately describe the anger, pain and grief Shea's family is continuing to feel five years since that night. 'The recommendations by Sheriff Reid for the Health and Safety Executive to revise guidance to ensure the safety of children are welcome. 'Maintaining perimeter fencing and properly securing manholes should already be an essential part of maintaining a construction site. 'It is hoped these changes will ensure contractors will share information about instances of unauthorised access, damage to perimeter fencing and other equipment will prevent any future harm or fatalities on construction sites."
Glasgow Times
25-04-2025
- Glasgow Times
Lanarkshire men jailed over plot to bring £1.5m of drugs into Scotland
Scott McSeveney, 37, of Shotts, masterminded the cross-border plan and enlisted HGV company owner Steven Lawson, 48, of Motherwell, to transport the haul of cannabis from Spain. However, the scheme unravelled when Lawson was stopped by Border Force officers on the return journey at the Eurotunnel port in France. (Image: Crown and Procurator Fiscal Service) This was due to an anomaly being identified in the load. Officers, working on behalf of the Organised Crime Partnership Scotland (OCP), then discovered 159 packages of the Class-B drug with a combined weight of 155kg in boxes labelled as watermelons. McSeveny was jailed for eight years and two months at the High Court in Glasgow today after admitting to being concerned in the supply and sale of controlled drugs. The charge was aggravated by a connection to Serious Organised Crime. READ NEXT: Tributes to man who died after being struck by car in Glasgow Meanwhile, Lawson was sentenced to five years in custody after being found guilty following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow of being concerned in Serious Organised Crime between April and July 2020. Both men were made subject to Serious Crime Prevention Orders, which will last for three years on their release from prison. Sineidin Corrins, Depute Procurator Fiscal for Serious Casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said: 'These two men were integral to an attempt to import large quantities of Class B drugs into Scotland. 'But they failed thanks to partnership working between COPFS and the National Crime Agency, Border Force and Police Scotland to disrupt a network of drug supply. 'These drugs would have caused immense harm. But with these convictions, we have removed them from the streets and made communities safer. 'We will continue to collaborate with our partners as a member of Scotland's Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce to tackle serious organised crime, and this kind of case highlights the extensive work that has been ongoing against these groups.' READ NEXT: Lanarkshire residents divided after fireworks display axed The court heard how police surveillance officers saw McSeveney at the offices of MCL Transport in Bellshill, a haulage firm owned by Lawson. (Image: Crown and Procurator Fiscal Service) Around the same time, he was identified as using the encrypted EncroChat, with the handle ' to discuss with associates ways to traffic cannabis from Europe inside a heavy goods vehicle. In the messages, he referred to an individual – later revealed to be Lawson – who could drive the vehicle to Europe with a legitimate load and return carrying drugs. There were also discussions about modifying the vehicle to allow drugs to be imported without being detected. Lawson left the UK in July 2020 and collected the drugs. These were hidden inside 30 pallets of watermelons from the Spanish town of Benicassim. (Image: Crown and Procurator Fiscal Service) However, when the lorry arrived at the Eurotunnel border check at Coquelles in France, officers ordered the pallets to be offloaded. This is when the discovery was made. Lawson, who denied all knowledge of the drugs, was arrested, and police later detained McSeveney at his home. The seized drugs were valued at around £604,200, but if subdivided into smaller amounts, they could have had a street value of £1,590,000. Both men will now be made subject to confiscation action under Proceeds of Crime laws. This is to recover monies illegally made.
The National
25-04-2025
- The National
Men jailed for plot to bring £1.5m of drugs to Scotland in watermelons
Scott McSeveney, 37, of Shotts, masterminded the cross-border plan and enlisted HGV company owner Steven Lawson, 48, also of Shotts, to transport the haul of cannabis from Spain. However, the scheme unravelled when Lawson was stopped by Border Force officers on the return journey at the Eurotunnel port in France. (Image: Crown and Procurator Fiscal Service) This was due to an anomaly being identified in the load. Officers, working on behalf of the Organised Crime Partnership Scotland (OCP), then discovered 159 packages of the Class-B drug with a combined weight of 155kg in boxes labelled as watermelons. McSeveny was jailed for eight years and two months at the High Court in Glasgow today after admitting to being concerned in the supply and sale of controlled drugs. The charge was aggravated by a connection to Serious Organised Crime. Meanwhile, Lawson was sentenced to five years in custody after being found guilty following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow of being concerned in Serious Organised Crime between April and July 2020. Both men were made subject to Serious Crime Prevention Orders, which will last for three years on their release from prison. Sineidin Corrins, Depute Procurator Fiscal for Serious Casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said: 'These two men were integral to an attempt to import large quantities of Class B drugs into Scotland. 'But they failed thanks to partnership working between COPFS and the National Crime Agency, Border Force and Police Scotland to disrupt a network of drug supply. 'These drugs would have caused immense harm. But with these convictions, we have removed them from the streets and made communities safer. 'We will continue to collaborate with our partners as a member of Scotland's Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce to tackle serious organised crime, and this kind of case highlights the extensive work that has been ongoing against these groups.' The court heard how police surveillance officers saw McSeveney at the offices of MCL Transport in Bellshill, a haulage firm owned by Lawson. (Image: Crown and Procurator Fiscal Service) Around the same time, he was identified as using the encrypted EncroChat, with the handle ' to discuss with associates ways to traffic cannabis from Europe inside a heavy goods vehicle. In the messages, he referred to an individual – later revealed to be Lawson – who could drive the vehicle to Europe with a legitimate load and return carrying drugs. There were also discussions about modifying the vehicle to allow drugs to be imported without being detected. Lawson left the UK in July 2020 and collected the drugs. These were hidden inside 30 pallets of watermelons from the Spanish town of Benicassim. (Image: Crown and Procurator Fiscal Service) However, when the lorry arrived at the Eurotunnel border check at Coquelles in France, officers ordered the pallets to be offloaded. This is when the discovery was made. Lawson, who denied all knowledge of the drugs, was arrested, and police later detained McSeveney at his home. The seized drugs were valued at around £604,200, but if subdivided into smaller amounts, they could have had a street value of £1,590,000. Both men will now be made subject to confiscation action under Proceeds of Crime laws. This is to recover monies illegally made.
