A COMPANY and two directors are going on trial at Bradford Crown Court tomorrow charged with manslaughter after an employee’s death at the firm more than four and a half years ago.

Deco-Pak Limited, which has premises at Deco House on Halifax Road, Hipperholme, near Brighouse, denies the corporate manslaughter of Andrew Tibbott, 48, on April 14, 2017.

Rodney Slater, 62, of Wellbank View, Rochdale, and Michael Hall, 64, of Hullen Edge Lane, Elland, plead not guilty to Mr Tibbott’s manslaughter by gross negligence.

Today, a panel of 12 jurors and two reserves was selected ahead of the six-week trial’s day-long prosecution opening tomorrow.

The jurors were not sworn in because the trial judge, the Recorder of Bradford, Judge Richard Mansell QC, asked them to reflect overnight on whether they were willing and able to sit on a trial for that length of time.

He told the panel that it gave them time to discuss matters at home or to contact their places of work.

He said he hoped the case would finish by December 13 but it could potentially run into the last week before Christmas. But there were several dates when it wasn’t sitting and Fridays would be shorter days.

Judge Mansell said the two defendants and Deco-Pak Limited, a garden landscaping supplies firm, faced allegations over the death of Mr Tibbott at work some four and a half years ago.

He explained that 14 names had been balloted to keep two people in reserve until the prosecution case had been opened, detailing the history and background to what had happened.

During this stage, a juror might get “upset or disturbed” by what they had heard or it may dawn on them that they might know someone involved in the case.

Without the two reserves “on the subs bench,” the trial would have to start all over again, Judge Mansell explained.

He was giving the panel overnight to make sure they were happy to sit on the trial.

He told them not to be tempted to do any internet research about the company, the defendants, or the incident that led to the death of Mr Tibbott.

Nor must they talk about the case, even though as he pointed out, “there was nothing to talk about at the moment.”

“Don’t be tempted to go on your phone on the way home and look up anything about this incident,” he said.