The trial of a roofer accused of breaching health and safety regulations, which led to a fire at the Mount Murray Hotel, began today.
Roy Michael Cross used a blowtorch to try to dry out plywood. But that ignited roof tiles. The prosecution says that decision was ‘catastrophic’.
But his defence counsel says that health and safety procedures at the Santon hotel were ‘woeful’.
He also described the hotel’s owner, Albert Gubay, who died in January, as a tyrant whose instructions had to be followed.
Cross was unaware that the roof tiles were man-made and made from combustible material.
There will be a longer report on this in tomorrow’s Isle of Man Examiner.