Airport faces safety charges

London Luton Airport Operations Ltd and C-T Aviation Solutions pleaded not guilty at Luton Magistrates Court to the charges under Section 3 of 1974’s Health and Safety at Work Act.

The Airport was also charged with breaching section 21 of the Act, as well as regulation 3 of Management of Health and Safety at Work.

In addition C-TAS faces two offences under regulation 11 of Construction Design and Management.

The case was adjourned until June 18 for committal to Crown Court.

A Health & Safety Executive spokeswoman said: “Both defendants elected for trial by jury.”

Mrs Whiting, 78, had just returned from a family holiday in May 2009 when she was hit by a truck being driven by Rossano Casagrande, 50, of Peterborough.

Mr Casagrande had been an HGV driver for five years and was delivering milk to Luton Airport for Robert Wiseman Dairies in Northampton, a journey he had done about 20 times previously.

The court was told the crossing was on airport-owned land and did not conform to regulations that apply to public roads.

It has since been modified.

In September 2010 Mr Casagrande was found not guilty of causing Mrs Whiting’s death by careless driving.

The court heard a police expert describe the incident as a “tragic accident.”

PC Steven Andrews said it was his opinion that Mrs Whiting was in a blind spot when the lorry driver believed the crossing was clear and pulled slowly ahead, as Mrs Whiting stepped into the road, thinking the lorry was still stationary.