Two construction companies have been ordered to pay fines totalling £1.1million following the death of a Romanian labourer who was buried alive when a 10ft trench collapsed around him.

Gheorghita Arsene, 33, had been digging the ten-foot-deep pit by hand with a pick and shovel at a care home in Banstead, Surrey, when the trench walls gave way in what was described as a “barely believable” incident on June 24, 2020.

The labourer was engulfed by tonnes of soil after the sides of the excavation were not properly supported, allowing the ground to cave in and trap him beneath the earth.

His co-workers made frantic attempts to save him, digging with their bare hands as they tried to clear debris from around his face.

Firefighters and ambulance crews were called to the site, but paramedics struggled to resuscitate him because of the crushing weight of the soil and the difficulty of freeing him from the collapsed trench.

It was not possible to carry out chest compressions as they could not get Mr Arsene out of the trench. 

He was pronounced dead at the scene at 2.44pm, an hour after the accident happened. The excavation was so unsafe that the body could not be removed until the following morning. 

The site manager, 54-year-old Peter Wraith, was earlier cleared by an Old Bailey jury of manslaughter by gross negligence, while his assistant Gregory Peake, 51, was also cleared of breaching health and safety regulations. 

The jury had failed to reach a verdict on subcontractor Anthony O’Connor, 42 – who denied the manslaughter of Mr Arsene by gross negligence – after 73 hours and 28 minutes of jury deliberations.

O’Connor admitted failing to ensure Mr Arsene’s safety under Health and Safety regulations after Judge Judy Khan indicated she would not pass a custodial sentence and the manslaughter charge was dropped. 

But both Wraith and O’Connor’s companies, the specialist care home builder Appledorn, and subcontractor T Vaughan Limited (TVL), were all convicted of failing to ensure Mr Arsene’s safety by unanimous verdicts. 

Wraith was a boss at Appledorn, who had won the contract to build a new facility at Woodstown House in Park Road, Banstead. 

O’Connor was a manager at a subcontractor for TVL, who had been hired to carry out ground work at the site and dig the trench. 

The offending companies have now been fined a total of more than £1.15million over the tragedy, which the ruling judge called ‘entirely avoidable’. 

Sentencing O’Connor to 10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, Judge Khan said: ‘You did nothing to stop the work…even though it was not being carried out safely.

‘I’m satisfied you had actual foresight of the offending, but risk was still taken. There was a high likelihood of death. A number of workers were exposed to a risk of harm. 

‘The offence was a significant cause of actual harm.’

She added: ‘You did not ensure that a proper risk assessment or method statement was in place prior to the excavations taking place, you did not ensure that the trenches were supported or battered back, and you did nothing to stop the work continuing on June 24, although it was obvious to you that it was not being carried out safely.’ 

Fining Appledorn £500,000, Judge Khan said: ‘There was serious and systemic failure within the organisation to address health and safety. 

‘I’m satisfied the failure to put safe working conditions in place was motivated by a desire to get the work done quickly and cheaply.’ 

The judge also found there was ‘deliberate concealment’ and limited mitigation. 

Fining TVL £650,000 and ordering them to pay £40,000 in costs, Judge Khan said she was satisfied the company had health and safety systems in place but that they were not adhered to. 

The judge said: ‘At its most senior level, the company has demonstrated a very responsible approach. This offence was not symptomatic of TVL’s approach – it was an outlier.’

She also credited the company for fully cooperating with the police probe. 

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During the three-month trial, jurors heard that by June 24, 2020 most of the work had been completed, but there was a problem with the drainage pipes at the site which meant they would have to be replaced. 

The trench was so narrow that there was only enough room for one man to dig at a time, and Mr Arsene had been taking it in turns with another employee, Daniel Plitan, when the tragedy happened. 

Prosecutor John McGuinness said: ‘At the time of the accident, Mr Arsene was working at the bottom of the trench with a shovel and a pickaxe which he had been using to clear away soil from around the damaged pipe when, without warning, one or more of the sides of the trench collapsed.

‘Victor Lungu, who was in the digger, saw the trench starting to collapse and shouted to Mr Arsene, who looked up. 

‘Mr Arsene reacted, but was only able to take one or two steps to try to get out of the trench before the soil fell and almost completely covered him. 

‘Lungu got out of the digger and rushed down to where Mr Arsene was in the trench. He shouted to him but there was no response and he ran off to get help. 

‘Desperate attempts were made by those there to get Mr Arsene out from under the soil that was covering him. 

‘They managed to move away enough soil to expose his face and upper body, but he was unresponsive to all attempts to revive him. 

‘Shovels were of limited use and some rescue personnel had to try and dig him out by hand. 

‘While they were doing this, more soil was falling into the trench. The ground around the trench was boggy and unstable.’ 

At 2.44pm, more than an hour after the accident had happened, a doctor who had arrived by air ambulance pronounced Mr Arsene dead at the scene. 

Mr McGuinness said it ‘was entirely foreseeable that the sides of the trench might collapse’. 

The excavation was so unsafe that the body could not be removed until the following morning. 

A post-mortem found the labourer had died from compression and suffocation. 

The prosecutor continued: ‘Despite the obvious risk that the walls of an excavated trench to this depth would collapse, and the obvious risk of death to anyone who was working at the bottom of such a trench, all the sides of the trench that George was working in were completely unsupported and not a single step or measure had been taken to prevent the risk of collapse and of death.’ 

He added: ‘There will be evidence that it has been known for many years in the construction industry that the risk of a trench of this type collapsing is extreme, and therefore those who work on sites such as this one have been made aware of the types of measures that can be taken to prevent such collapses.’ 

The court heard how if those measures had been taken, Mr Arsene would not have died. 

‘The prosecution suggest it is barely believable that absolutely nothing was done,’ Mr McGuinness said. 

‘It is astonishing there was no risk assessment and no method statement for the deep trench excavation work that led to the accident here. 

‘Neither Appledorn nor TVL gave any thought in advance to the safety of two men working in the bottom of a trench, the sides of which were liable to collapse at any moment – and eventually did.’ 

In a victim impact statement, Mr Arsene’s mother Ienuta said she had warned her son not to go in the trench and revealed that her husband had died from a heart attack in the months that followed. 

She said: ‘Gheorghita was a good man who worked hard and achieved everything through his hard work, and he sought to support his family. 

‘I have a depression that is eating me away and a constant feeling of loneliness.  Everyone in the family was devastated by Gheorghita’s death.’ 

Wraith, from Grimsby, and O’Connor, from Romford, east London, denied gross negligence manslaughter. 

TVL and Appledorn denied corporate failings under the Health and Safety at Work Act. 

Peake, from Bromley, south London, denied two charges of breaching Health and Safety regulations. 

A controversial and violent sporting event has been blocked by a court just two days before thousands of fans were expected to watch it unfold.

The latest Run Nation Championship, co-founded by Sydney businessman Tremaine Fernandez, had been set down for Saturday at Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse, where tickets were selling for $999.

However, would-be spectators are now facing disappointment after the NSW Supreme Court shut the event down on Thursday.

Event organisers had sought to convince the court that the so-called ‘run it straight’ contest — where competitors sprint directly at one another and attempt to ‘win’ the impact — should not be classified as a combat sport under New South Wales law.

Under the legislation, a combat sport is defined as one in which ‘the primary objective of each combatant … is to strike, kick, hit, grapple with, throw or punch one or more other combatants’.

Several former footy stars, including Dylan Napa and Sam Kasiano, were scheduled to compete in the cancelled event.

The Combat Sports Authority cancelled the event, saying it had not complied with the rules required for such an event to be staged. 

Justice Andrew Colman backed in that decision after Run Nation sought a judicial review.

‘The wording in the code describing the contact as a ‘tackle’ cannot alter the fact RNC (Run Nation Championship) is a collision sport,’ Justice Coleman said in his judgement.

‘The essence of the activity is the collision between them.’

Run-it-straight contests have grown in popularity in recent years with contests being widely viewed by young rugby league fans on social media.

Brain injury organisation Synapse says the sport can cause severe concussions and long-term neurological damage.

Ryan Satterthwaite – a 19-year-old from New Zealand – died of a serious head injury sustained during an impromptu game with friends in 2025.

Multiple former NRL players are connected with Run Nation, including former Canberra Raiders and Melbourne Storm player Sandor Earl, who was in court for the decision.

Earl received a four-year ban for doping in October 2015.

Scheduled to compete against each other on Saturday were former Sydney Roosters forward Dylan Napa and ex-Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs enforcer Sam Kasiano.

Justice Coleman ruled that the intense physical contact was the only necessary element of the sport, meaning it could not be anything other than a combat sport.

He also found Run Nation should have been aware of the possibility of the event falling foul of the regulator.

‘Run Nation has been on notice of the Authority’s concerns about the nature of the activity since 29 May, 2026,’ the judge said.

‘Despite the discussions between the parties … Run Nation was not able to satisfy the Authority that it had dealt with its concerns.’

After the decision, Run Nation chief executive Fernandez said the ruling would not kill the sport.

‘This hearing was not about RNC being banned,’ Mr Fernandez said.

‘RNC is here to stay and, based on the ruling today, we’re excited to work with the Combat Sports Authority and the opportunities that may bring.’

Mr Fernandez said Saturday’s event at Randwick would be postponed to ‘later in 2026’.

The organisers said ticketholders could request refunds or use the tickets at the yet-to-be-scheduled event.

Justice Coleman acknowledged there would be consequences for those excited to see the event take place.

‘There may be commercial consequences for Run Nation and its backers because of this decision,’ he said.

‘There may also be inconvenience to members of the public who have purchased tickets to attend the event.

‘Neither of those consequences are relevant to the … decision I have made.’

Run Nation is also required to pay legal costs.

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A young prison officer who called a convicted killer her “Little Princess” after beginning work at Strangeways aged just 19 has escaped an immediate jail sentence.

Samantha Stowell embarked on a three-month relationship with inmate Conor Dobson while employed at the high-security Manchester prison, a court was told today.

Dobson, a serial offender, was serving 15 years for killing a 70-year-old retired nurse after driving a stolen Mercedes at 135mph.

The pair swapped dozens of messages after professing their “love” for one another, including sexually explicit exchanges as well as topless photographs and videos.

The court also heard Dobson transferred money into Stowell’s bank account so she could buy presents for herself, with the payments adding up to £1,200.

A judge today questioned why she was allowed to start work at the prison, which he dubbed a ‘lion’s den’, aged 19 before starting the relationship when she was 20.

But he spared a sobbing Stowell – now aged 23 – from going into custody herself, instead imposing a suspended prison sentence.

She joined the prison service in 2022 before being deployed to Alpha wing of the notorious jail, formally known as HMP Manchester.

Richard Holland, prosecuting, told Manchester Crown Court she underwent anti-corruption training, which included warnings about engaging in inappropriate relationships with prisoners.

However, an investigation was launched after prison staff found an iPhone in a search of Dobson’s cell.

In November 2017 he was trying to evade police while behind the wheel of a £30,000 stolen Mercedes near Horsham, West Sussex when it ploughed into Rebecca Nevins’ Ford Fiesta, inflicting catastrophic injuries on the grandmother.

Dobson was jailed in 2018 after admitting manslaughter and burglary and ordered to serve a minimum of ten years in prison.

Stowell later told prison governors she was aware of the find and her own phone was seized following her arrest.

Analysis of the phones revealed the pair had been in regular contact between February and August 2023.

Dobson told Stowell that she ‘had eyes that make me fall in love’ and she responded by telling him: ‘You make me so happy, love you.’

The pair repeatedly declared their love for one another and said they wanted ‘the best’ for each other, Mr Holland said, ‘after talking things through’.

Stowell spoke of them ‘finally being together properly again’, saying: ‘I miss you more every day Conor Thomas Dobson.’

She added: ‘Hopefully, I can be your little princess one day again.

‘You actually have such a special place in my heart.

‘All my love always, Samantha.’

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She then sent Dobson two videos of herself – one showing her on all fours on the floor in her underwear and the other showing ‘explicit’ images of herself.

Stowell also video-called Dobson in her underwear while he was topless in his cell, and they both sent further topless photos of themselves to each other.

Mr Holland outlined how various cash sums were paid into Stowell’s bank account via a relative of Dobson.

One for £500 was referenced ‘dinner date’, while others for £240 and £200 were referenced ‘Tiffany and Co’ and ‘hair’ respectively.

Dobson also messaged Stowell after one payment, saying it was ‘bracelet day’.

In total, the court heard, she received almost £1,200.

After Stowell was questioned by police, she initially offered no comment but then admitted she’d ‘been stupid and didn’t want to go to prison’.

She also said Dobson had provided a ‘support system’ for her when she went on sick leave after discovering another prisoner had hanged himself in his cell.

Stowell also said she had ‘appreciated’ Dobson’s attention after splitting up from her boyfriend.

She was dismissed in August 2023 when she failed to return to work, the court heard.

Stowell, of Atherton, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office between March 13, 2022, and August 10, 2023.

Graham Rishton, defending, said she was ‘mortified, embarrassed and full of regret’.

Judge Patrick Field said a ‘significant’ mitigating factor was Stowell’s age at the time.

He said: ‘I will leave it to others to question how it was that a 19-year-old girl is sent into Manchester Prison – into the lion’s den.’

The judge said it was no surprise ‘more sophisticated prisoners should try to exploit her’ and her ‘immaturity and lack of life experience’ was a material factor, along with her lack of previous convictions.

He handed her a six-month sentence but suspended it for 24 months, saying her offending was ‘serious’.

‘You formed a relationship with an older man who was a prisoner,’ he said.

‘Such a relationship was wholly inappropriate.

‘You knew you shouldn’t do it because of your training, but you nevertheless went ahead.’

Stowell was also ordered to attend 15 rehabilitation days, carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and pay £250 costs.

A sobbing Stowell left the dock to be embraced by her smiling family in the public gallery.

Norway’s King Harald V was laid to rest yesterday following a deeply moving memorial service that drew unusually visible displays of grief from royals more often known for their composure.

Harald, Europe’s oldest reigning monarch after Queen Elizabeth II, had led Norway for more than 35 years before his death on August 28 at the age of 89.

The state funeral took place on Wednesday at Oslo Cathedral, where an exceptional gathering of royal families from across the world arrived in the Norwegian capital to honour the man widely regarded as the “grandfather of the nation”.

Senior figures from 11 royal households — including Spain, Denmark, Japan and Jordan — were among the VIP guests at the historic ceremony, which featured a solemn procession from the Royal Palace to the chapel, gun salutes and heartfelt speeches.

Yet beyond the grandeur of the occasion, the funeral is likely to be remembered for its intimate moments: quiet gestures of affection, rare and open sorrow from reserved kings and queens, and a poignant show of unity behind Norway’s new King Haakon VIII and Queen Sonja.

While Denmark’s King Frederik welled up and was visibly emotional during the poignant service for his beloved ‘Uncle Harald’, the Princess Royal won praise from fans after they noticed the tender moment she shared with Harald’s 89-year-old widow Sonja. 

There was not a dry eye in Oslo Cathedral – from King Frederik X of Denmark to Norway’s new Queen Mette-Marit and her heartbroken mother-in-law, Sonja, who was married to Harald for almost 58 years. 

The Danish royal house was among the first to send their condolences after Harald passed away peacefully at Rikshospitalet on August 28. 

In an open letter to Haakon VIII, King Frederik and Queen Mary remembered his ‘unwavering calm’ and ‘dry humour’ while reflecting on the close bonds between their families. 

‘Your father meant a great deal to my mother (Queen Margrethe) and both of us,’ the royal couple wrote. ‘He was an extraordinary man, with a twinkle in his eye and a big heart.

‘For 35 years, King Harald was a strong unifying figure for the Norwegian people. He joined duty and responsibility with presence and compassion. He was cherished like few others, and he will be missed by many.’ 

During Harald’s funeral, ‘you could see the pain’ in Frederik’s eyes as he mourned the late monarch, fans wrote on X. 

At one point, the 53-year-old sovereign reached for Mary’s hand as they bowed their heads when Harald’s coffin was brought into the Cathedral.

Queen Sonja was visibly moved when Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre paid tribute to the ‘love’ they shared in his speech. 

‘Queen Sonja, working by his side, played an inextricable part in King Harald’s service to the nation – her tireless efforts to promote culture, to celebrate nature – and her desire to experience far-flung places it is hard to imagine anyone could live,’ he continued.  

Norwegians watching the funeral reportedly began to ‘openly weep’ when the cameras cut to Queen Sonja crying softly during the prime minister’s address. 

‘I am in Norway right now, and this was the moment when the Norwegians in the room I was watching the funeral started to openly weep. They loved King Harald, but they mourn and feel with (and love) Queen Sonja,’ one X user reported. 

Norway’s Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra was poised and graceful as she joined her family in bidding farewell to her grandfather yesterday. 

In one video posted on X, the heir to the Norwegian throne could be seen comforting her younger brother, Prince Sverre Magnus, when he became overwhelmed by emotion. 

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The daughter of Haakon and Mette-Marit placed a reassuring hand on Sverre Magnus’s shoulder when she noticed tears in his eyes before he returned her loving gesture with a small smile. 

Fans praised ‘the sweet princess’, with one person writing: ‘The Norwegian people have won my respect due to this kindness.’

It wasn’t just Ingrid Alexandra’s compassion that impressed royal watchers when footage of Princess Anne greeting the Norwegian family after the funeral was shared online. 

While the Prince of Wales officially represented King Charles III at Harald’s funeral, Princess Anne attended the event in a personal capacity as King Haakon VIII’s godmother.

While Denmark’s Queen Mary tightly held her aunt Sonja’s hand, the King’s sister made time to express her support for Haakon, who ascended the throne after his father’s death. 

Following the birth of Haakon on July 20, 1973, Princess Anne was named as one of his godparents, along with his late grandfather, Olav V, Harald’s sister, Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner, Sweden’s Carl Gustaf XVI, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe and Prince Carl Bernadotte. 

Reuniting with her godson, Anne warmly hugged Haakon VIII after Harald V was laid to rest at Akershus Fortress, as their conversation brought a smile to the new King’s face despite the sombre occasion. 

When Anne noticed Queen Sonja standing by herself, she politely excused herself as William stepped forward to warmly greet Haakon in their first meeting since he became King of Norway. 

After executing a perfect curtsy before Sonja, the typically reserved Anne held both of her hands as she appeared to console Haakon’s grieving mother with kind words and reassuring smiles. 

Princess Ingrid Alexandra could repeatedly be seen thanking Prince William, who attended the funeral without the Princess of Wales, and Princess Anne during a brief exchange before they departed the Royal Palace. 

The funeral also highlighted the strong bond between Norway and the Netherlands’ future queens – Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia and Ingrid Alexandra – when the ‘royal besties’ reunited yesterday

Catharina-Amalia, the 22-year-old heir to the Dutch throne, gave her friend a hug as she joined her parents, Denmark’s King Frederik and Queen Mary, for the funeral. 

It was previously reported that Catharina-Amalia, Ingrid Alexandra and Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth have a WhatsApp group chat. 

In June last year, the Princess of Orange also told journalist Wim Dehandschutter via Australia Women’s Weekly: ‘We stay in contact with each other because we are all living a very specific life and we don’t need much explanation to understand each other.’

She added: ‘It’s a good thing that I can chat with Elisabeth and Ingrid Alexandra about very simple things in our life which are difficult, different for us, friendships, privacy, social media. We discuss how we handle it.’

The late King Harald V was mourned on Wednesday by his 89-year-old widow, Queen Sonja, and son King Haakon with his wife, Queen Mette-Marit. He died due to a rare blood condition known as haemolytic anaemia.

They were joined by other royals from around the world, including King Felipe of Spain, Queen Rania of Jordan and Princess Charlene of Monaco.

The coffin was taken from the palace to the cathedral in a procession of senior Norwegian royals including King Haakon, foreign guests and representatives from Norway’s and other parliaments.

King Haakon walked behind the coffin, draped with the red Norwegian royal standard, alongside his eldest child Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, now heir to the throne, his son Prince Sverre Magnus and his sister Princess Martha Louise.

The King’s stepson Marius Borg Hoiby, who is currently serving a four-year prison sentence under house arrest at his parents’ Skaugum Estate while he appeals his conviction for two counts of rape, was also in attendance.

He previously joined his relatives to carry the coffin of late King Harald from the Royal Palace to the palace chapel last week while temporarily released, sparking fierce backlash from royal fans.

The Bishop of Oslo Sunniva Gylver looked somewhat stern as she greeted Hoiby on the steps of the cathedral ahead of the service.

His mother Queen Mette-Marit and Harald’s widow Queen Sonja followed the coffin in a car.