A disabled man fell from a forklift truck, which had been lifted as high as roof rafters, and smashed his ankle after being asked to sit on an unstable load of cardboard, a Court heard.

Andrew Webb, who has learning difficulties, spent 12 days in hospital and doctors fear he could be permanently physically disabled.

The forklift truck driver, John Caswell, 43, of Eskdale Rise, Allerton, Bradford, was sacked following the incident at ASC Cartons at Windhill, Shipley, in May.

He pleaded guilty at Bingley Magistrates' Court yesterday to failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of another person.

Caswell, a certified forklift truck driver, who the court was told had reading and writing difficulties, was fined £500 and ordered to pay £200 costs. Nicola Browell, prosecuting for the Health & Safety Executive, said Caswell asked Mr Webb to sit on the load of pallets of cardboard on the forklift truck, to stabilise it.

"He lifted the load to clear the height of other pallets, somewhere near to the height of the building's steel rafters.

"The load became unstable and fell forward, throwing Mr Webb to the floor.

"He was in hospital for 12 days with serious injuries - his ankle was smashed. More surgery is required and the injury may be permanent," said Miss Browell.

Caswell, employed at the firm 12 years, could have fitted longer forks to make the load more safe, but decided not to, in order to save time. Mr Webb claimed that Caswell had asked him to sit on the forklift truck previously, but he had never been lifted so high.

And he said no-one else in the factory had asked him to sit on a truck. Company staff underwent approved Health & Safety forklift truck training, and employees were instructed not to lift anyone on a forklift truck. If management had known, they would have stopped it immediately, said Miss Browell.

Caswell had undergone his training in 1999 and was aware people should not be lifted on the truck, she added.

Mr Webb's disability related to his inability to articulate complicated sentences. He had been at the company 15 years as a general labourer, she added.

Hussain Bundy Riaz, defending, said Caswell, a single man, had accepted full responsibility and admitted the offence immediately. On the day he had decided to take the easiest option and ask Mr Webb to sit on the pallet. He was shocked by what had happened and had since been sacked.

After the case, a spokesman for the HSE said: "This was an unfortunate incident which sends a message to all employees they are accountable in law for their actions in work."