Hawkes Bay house mover's $60k fine for leaving power lines exposed killing stock, dogs

Several sheep stepped on the power line that had been left in the ditch and were electrocuted, as were dogs that touched the sheep. Photo / Thinkstock

A shepherd narrowly avoided being electrocuted after a house moving company's convoy downed live power lines and left them exposed in a ditch.

School children were also in the area at the time.

Britton Housemovers and director Arthur Ernest Britton were sentenced at Hastings District Court yesterday after he and the company pleaded guilty in November last year to two counts each of failing to prevent harm and breaching the Health and Safety Act.

In December 2013, Britton, 65, was driving a house moving truck on Herbertville Rd, in Central Hawke's Bay, when it clipped a power line.

The line snapped and fell on to the roof of the house before one of the housemovers removed it with a "wooden stick", Judge Bridget Mackintosh said.

"No one was wearing safety equipment or gear."

The line fell into a roadside ditch and the convoy continued on its journey.

However, farmer Brian Speedy and shepherd Phillip Hanley were moving sheep across the road at the time and despite waiting until the road was clear, "no warning was given" to the two men before they moved their stock.

Several sheep stepped on the power line and were electrocuted, while two dogs were also killed when they touched the electrified stock.

As Mr Hanley went to grab the dead sheep, "he narrowly avoided being electrocuted himself" but was pulled back by Mr Speedy, Judge Mackintosh said.

A school bus was also in the vicinity to pick up children.

Mr Speedy and Mr Hanley chased the convoy to notify them of the danger, and following an argument a housemover returned to place hazard cones near the line, while Britton drove on and delivered the house before returning to the scene.

During submissions, Mr Britton's lawyer, Andrew Harris, argued for the company's $60,000 potential fine, set out in a sentencing indication report, be paid in a lump sum of $20,000 and then in lesser amounts over time because of financial difficulties.

However, WorkSafe prosecutor Steve Symon took issue with the submission and told Judge Mackintosh that if a deterrent was to be created for other companies the fine should not be paid in "trickling amounts" and needs "to be seen to have teeth".

"All sentences have some degree of hardship," he argued.

Judge Mackintosh convicted and sentenced Britton to four months home detention and imposed the $60,000 fine, which will be paid in a $20,000 sum and in $5000 payments for eight months thereafter.