AN ARCHITECT from Grange-over-Sands has won the right to challenge a health and safety conviction imposed following an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease that killed seven people.
Gillian Beckingham was found guilty of an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in April after it was alleged the 46-year-old Barrow Council employee failed to properly maintain an air conditioning unit at Forum 28 arts complex, where the outbreak began in August 2002.
This week the London Criminal Appeal court granted Mrs Beckingham the right to appeal after hearing claims from her defence team that the trial judge has misdirected the jury in the case.
A date for the appeal hearing is yet to be set.
Mrs Beckingham is also facing a retrial on seven counts of manslaughter.
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