A FOREST businessman has been acquitted by a jury of the manslaugter of one of his workers by gross negligence at the New Dunn Business Park in Sling.

The jury of nine women and three men at Gloucester Crown Court took three and a half hours yesterday (Sept 8) to find Kyle Gettings, 35, of Marten Road, Chepstow, not guilty of causing the death of newly-wed worker Martin Simmons, 38, on March 6, 2019.

Mr Simmons died when he became trapped in a recently installed tyre shredding machine at Gettings’ company, Capital Metals.

Standing in the dock to hear the verdict, Gettings responded to the not guilty decision by visibly shaking and gasping.

He has admitted breaching health and safety regulations and will be sentenced for that on October 7 at Bristol Crown Court.

For the full story see next week’s Forester, out on Wednesday (September 14).