Nicholas and Anthea Prest have been found not guilty of breaching health and safety laws after the tragic death of 47-year-old Paul Marsden. The couple, who own a stunning £2.5 million estate in Monmouthshire, faced accusations of not providing proper training to Marsden, a self-employed groundsman. He tragically died in April 2020 while using a quad bike to spray weedkiller on their property.
The case unfolded at Newport Crown Court, where the prosecution argued that the couple failed to take necessary steps to prevent such a dreadful incident. However, the defence successfully contended that, as Marsden was self-employed and hired in a domestic capacity, the responsibility did not lie with the Prests.
Tragically, Marsden was found by a colleague after failing to return for his regular coffee and lunch breaks, with a post-mortem revealing death by asphyxia from being trapped under the quad bike. Despite the hardship, Nicholas Prest described his shock and trauma during the investigation, initially charged with manslaughter by gross negligence.
In the end, the jury cleared both Nicholas and Anthea Prest, highlighting the complexities of legal obligations in such personal working agreements. With the verdicts delivered, the couple left the court, closing this heart-wrenching chapter.