The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
The mother of a Holbeach teenager killed in 2018 is pleading with the courts to hold a trial before the end of this year so she can grieve for her son.
Two companies and two individuals face charges relating to the death of Joshua Disdel (pictured) on July 13, 2018.
An initial hearing took place at a magistrates’ court in November of that year, but nothing has happened since.
Joshua’s mum, Fiona-Jane Lobley, says the wait for closure is destroying her mental health and she is shattered that the trial date is not until next year.
“I can’t seem to get through to anyone that this is destroying me. This happened long before Covid was here and I know it’s held things up, but four years is too long. It has been cancelled before with no apology, no support – I have been chasing and chasing and getting nowhere,” she said.
Joshua (18) was working at the White Bridges site, off St Thomas Drive, Boston, when he was involved what was described as a road traffic collision. He was taken to hospital in Nottingham and died the same day. A post mortem established traumatic liver injury as the cause of death.
Ms Lobley, of Brant Broughton, who has two other children, has launched a petition on the website Change.org in a bid to have the trial held this year.
“I just want justice to be done and it shouldn’t take four years. I have been given no information unless I have chased and chased for it. The lack of communication over the last three years has been appalling,” she said.
“I have had to wait months for any information and it’s as if nobody cares.”
She spoke to Joshua on the phone twice after the incident and he asked if he was going to die.
Her son, who had been a groundworker for just 16 days, lost consciousness on the way to hospital and died later.
“My patience has run out now and I don’t know what else to do. I can’t wait for nearly another year and my son deserves justice,” she said. There was a video link conference call to set a trial date in March but Ms Lobley (pictured) said the matter wasn’t discussed.
“I didn’t know anything until last week when they said it would be April next year. I was stunned.
I have not been kept up to date and I’ve not seen a report into the incident.
“Nobody seems to understand that it might be ‘just a report’ but to me, it’s information and I need it to move on.
“I am not looking for publicity to draw attention to myself, it’s not what I want. But I don’t know how else to make the courts understand that waiting four years for a trial into the death of a child is so wrong,” she said.
“There has been no liaison, no help, no support. God forbid that this should happen to anyone else and they have to wait this long for a trial. I am not even sure what the petition will do but I need to do something to bring the trial forward.”
D Brown (Building Contractors) Ltd, based at Browns Yard, Seas End Road, Moulton is accused of breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Darrell Tripp, of Broadgate Lane, Deeping St James, site manager for D. Brown, is charged with breaching Section 7 of the Act.
P&R Plant Hire (Linconlshire) Ltd admitted at an earlier hearing breaching Section 2 (1) of the act.
A sentence on the company will be passed after the trial. Brent Woods, of Holbeach, construction manager for P&R Plant Hire (Lincolnshire) is charged with breaching Section 7 of the Act.
A spokesman for HSE said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Joshua Disdel.
“The pandemic has posed challenges for complex trials like this involving multiple defendants and witnesses where it can take longer to find a suitable time.”
The petition she’s set up can be viewed here.
