A SCAFFOLDER and the company he works for have together been fined £40,000 over the death of a young girl.

Four-year-old Yasmin Ladjouzi was killed instantly when scaffolding fell on top of her in Cobham Place, Bromley Common, six years ago.

A group of youths had tugged on a rope causing the inadequately secured scaffolding to crash to the ground, a court heard.

The lead scaffolder, Steven Armstrong, and his employer Tone Scaffolding Services Ltd, each admitted breaking the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Sentencing them at Croydon Crown Court, Judge Simon Pratt said: "Her death was directly due to the actions of vandalism by the youths but that death was occasioned by the inadequacy of Mr Armstrong's scaffolding and Tone's failure to carry out a risk assessment or to ensure that its policies and procedures were made known to Mr Armstrong.

"I am sure that both defendants are genuinely remorseful for what happened."

He added: "Let no one think that any kind of price is being put on a child's life."

Tone Scaffolding, of Sky House, Beddington Lane, Croydon, was fined £35,000 and ordered to pay £20,000 costs.

Armstrong, who lives in Luton, was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £7,500 costs.

Full story in the June 22 edition of the Bromley Extra