The family of a man who died instantly when he fell into an industrial shredder while at work said his death five years ago is “as painful” now as it was then.

David Willis, 29, fell into a shredder designed for wood and commercial waste at Timmins Waste Services (TWS), in Mander Street, Wolverhampton, on September 15 2018, when he tried to clear a blockage while it was still running.

TWS and yard manager Brian Timmins, who was operating the shredder at the time, were found guilty of corporate manslaughter and manslaughter respectively at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Wednesday.

Following the verdicts, Mr Willis’s family said in a statement released through West Midlands Police: “David’s death is as painful for us now as it was five years ago.

“David has missed out on so many treasured family moments, including the birth of his niece and the growing up of his nephew, who still treats David as his superhero in the sky.”

Mr Willis’s body has never been found, with the court told the machine’s contents were taken to a landfill site in Cannock, Staffordshire.

West Midlands Police Detective Inspector Jim Colclough, who led the investigation, said: “We found major, systemic failings across TWS which meant workers were put at risk.

“Risk assessments were not done, and safe methods of working were simply not put in place.

“Timmins’ failure to lock off the shredder, and his decision to put Mr Willis in a position of danger, directly caused this tragedy.

“We spent many weeks searching the site at Cannock, but only found part of a tabard which may have belonged to David.

“The fact that we could not recover David has added to the anguish caused to his family, and denied them the chance to say goodbye to him with dignity.”

Timmins’ failure to lock off the shredder, and his decision to put Mr Willis in a position of danger, directly caused this tragedy

A trial was told Timmins was operating the shredder when it stopped “abruptly”.

After investigating the machine, he used a digger to lift Mr Willis on top and inside to see what the problem was, jurors were told.

Prosecutor Christine Agnew KC said CCTV evidence showed the machine was still operational at the time but should have been turned off.

When Mr Willis disappeared inside the machine, Timmins was seen on CCTV looking around the yard and inside the shredder’s ‘hopper’, which guides the waste towards the machine’s blades, before calling Mr Willis’s phone.

He was then seen looking out the yard gates and running around the site, before returning to the digger and continuing to operate the shredder.

The next day, Timmins, and other employees who were working that day, loaded and disposed of 80 tonnes of recycled waste by taking it to a landfill site in Cannock, Staffordshire, which “must”, Ms Agnew said, have included Mr Willis’s remains.