A fresh trial will be held for an Island Energy worker accused of manslaughter over the Haut du Mont explosion, after the first jury could not agree on verdicts.
The Attorney General confirmed in the Royal Court this morning that he was ordering a retrial for Lee Ward (59), who denies ten charges of gross negligence manslaughter.
The charges relate to the deaths of ten people in the explosion on 10 December 2022.
Crown Advocate Simon Thomas said the Attorney General had given “written notice” that he intended to seek a retrial on Wednesday this week.
Wearing a blue suit, Mr Ward spoke only to confirm his name from the dock during a preliminary directions hearing also held this morning.
Crown Advocate Thomas told the court that the date for the retrial is still to be fixed, but indicated that it will likely last “in the order of two weeks”.
Deputy Bailiff Mark Temple, presiding, remanded Mr Ward on conditional bail ahead of a further procedural directions hearing.
The previous trial ended with jurors unable to reach verdicts supported by the required majority of at least ten of the 12 members on Mr Ward’s charges.
They had deliberated for 28 hours and three minutes. The hung jury meant he had neither been convicted nor acquitted.
Commissioner Andrew Oldland gave prosecutors 14 days to decide whether to seek another trial.
