A judge has reserved a decision on whether a man failed to ensure the safety of two men who were killed when the house they were working under collapsed.
Deon Williams, an employee of the Auckland contracting company Wiremu Asphalt Contractors, has defended a charge in Manukau District Court charged that he failed to take all practicable steps to ensure his actions did not cause harm to any other persons.
The company was last month ordered to pay reparation of $28,900 after two men were killed and two others seriously injured when the house collapsed at Manurewa Marae in June, 2009.
Marsh Peihopa and Waepeke Tuapaea were employees of Andrews Housemovers Limited, which had been contracted by the Manurewa Marae to relocate the house to its new site. They were working under the house when it was hit by a truck and collapsed on top of them, killing them. Two other employees of Andrews Housemovers Limited were injured.
The judge will deliver the decision on January 27.
