Bradford Council has been fined £1,500 for breaching health and safety regulations after a caretaker plummeted to his death from a library roof.

It is only the second time in 20 years that the Council has been convicted of breaching the regulations.

John O'Loughlin, 57, fell four-and-a-half metres through a skylight on the roof of Eccleshill library, Bolton Road.

He crashed through the glass and suffered multiple rib fractures and a fractured neck. He was rushed to Bradford Royal Infirmary, but died a week later.

Bradford magistrates today fined the Council £1,500 and ordered it to pay £700 costs.

The Council had pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations because other library staff members were allowed on to the flat top roof during breaks.

The Court heard how Mr O'Loghlin, of Jamie Court, Eccleshill, was believed to be sitting down having a cigarette when the plastic dome covering the glass skylight gave way on August 8 last year.

Julian Franklin, for the Health and Safety Executive, said: "Staff could get out on to the roof on sunny days from the upstairs canteen. At the time, access was not restricted."

Alaric Dalziel, mitigating, said Mr O'Loughlin was allowed onto the roof as part of his job specification.

A spokesman for Bradford Council said: "This was a very tragic accident and we would like to express our deepest sympathy to Mr O'Loughlin's family. The Council has reviewed all its properties with flat roofs to ensure that unauthorised staff are not allowed access to them".

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