Inquest opens on worker who died at Gething donor’s plant

Martin Shipton

A worker at a recycling plant owned by the businessman who donated £200,000 to Vaughan Gething’s Welsh Labour leadership campaign died after he became trapped in a machine, a coroner’s court has heard.

Kyle Colcomb, 27, died while working as a contractor at Atlantic Recycling in Rumney, Cardiff, on July 8.

An inquest into his death was opened at South Wales Coroner’s Court in Pontypridd by coroner Patricia Morgan.

A coroner’s assistant told the PA news agency that Mr Colcomb, from Newport, died after he became trapped in a machine.

She added: “He suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene.”

A post-mortem examination was carried out on July 15 at the University Hospital of Wales by Dr Richard Jones, who listed the provisional cause of death as compression asphyxia with blunt force injuries to the lower trunk.

The coroner adjourned the case while police and Health and Safety Executive investigations continue.

Gentleman

Colleagues at M&B Hydraulics described Mr Colcomb as an “absolute gentleman” in a statement on social media last week.

They wrote: “We are sad to say Kyle was tragically taken in an on site incident at a site in Cardiff.

“We are all absolutely devastated at the loss of Kyle, who was an outstanding fitter, an absolute gentleman and an all round nice guy. Totally irreplaceable.

“Absolute pleasure to have worked with you and have known you RIP to our friend.

“Our thoughts go out to all his family at this terrible time.”

Mr Colcomb was the second worker in less than five years to die while working for Atlantic Recycling. South Wales Police and the Health and Safety Executive are jointly investigating the matter.

David Neal

Atlantic Recycling is part of the Dauson Environmental Group owned by businessman David Neal, who has received two suspended prison sentences for dumping toxic sludge in the Gwent Levels protected landscape.

Former Cardiff councillor Ashley Govier, one of Mr Gething’s closest supporters, has said that he could not have secured his narrow victory over Jeremy Miles without the £200k given to him by Mr Neal’s company.

In February 2024 Atlantic Recycling was fined £300,000 after admitting breaking health and safety laws when Anthony Bilton, 59, was run over by a shovel loader on Atlantic Recycling Limited’s site in Cardiff in 2019.

Mr Bilton, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, was about to carry out routine maintenance tasks when he was run over from behind by a Volvo shovel loader in September 2019.

The father-of-two was walking across the wood processing yard at the time. The Health and Safety Executive investigation found that the risk assessment was not suitable nor sufficient and did not include work taking place in the area.

Atlantic Recycling Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £300,000 and ordered to pay £29,917.47 in costs at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court.

After the case, Atlantic Recycling released a statement saying it “apologises unreservedly to the family and friends of Mr Bilton, for this tragic incident and the loss they continue to live with every day. We appreciate there is no mitigation or size of fine that will ever make up for the loss that they have suffered.”

Public disquiet over the £200,000 donated to Mr Gething led to his decision to stand down as Welsh Labour leader and First Minister. An election of a new leader is pending.