A FOOD supply company has been told to pay a fine and costs totalling £62,000 over an accident which left an Abingdon man paralysed from the neck down.

Lorry driver Neil Cooper, 28, was crushed by a metal roll cage as he was unloading a delivery from 3663 Food Services’ depot at the town’s Ashville Trading Estate.

He was left paraplegic and wheelchair bound.

A judge at Reading Crown Court was told Mr Cooper had not been given any training during his four weeks as a temporary worker before the accident happened at the Marriott Hotel in Slough, Berkshire.

BFS Group, which is 3663’s parent company, was fined £48,000 and ordered to pay £14,000 costs after accepting responsibility for the accident in October 2006.

Mr Cooper was unloading the roll cages from the rear of an 18-tonne lorry when one fell and crushed him.

Charles Curtis, prosecuting, said: “The company has a significant training system in place but that was not followed during the course of the four weeks of Mr Cooper’s employment.

“He was left to his own devices and worked in a way as he saw fit, without the appropriate training.

“The results of the accident have been catastrophic. Mr Cooper’s injuries have left him with a severe disability and he is paraplegic from the neck down.”

The firm, which recorded pre-tax profits of £18m last year, admitted failing to discharge its duty under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

John Cooper, defending, said: “The injuries in this case are tragic and the company has expressed great regret. One’s heart goes out to this young man.

“This company did have a proper, robust training programme in place but it was not activated in this individual's case.

“The company is very concerned about this accident. It has learned the lessons of this accident and has always had very high safety standards.”

Judge John Reddihough said the accident could have been avoided.

He said: “Mr Cooper suffered very serious injuries which will affect him for the rest of his life.

“The defendant company failed to give Mr Cooper any training and instruction or even warnings in relation to the tail-lift unloading operations.”

He added: “This was a complete breakdown in their normal system.

“There was nothing done to ensure Mr Cooper was indeed properly trained and that, in my judgment, was a serious failing.

“It’s important for me to stress that the fine in no way whatsoever is intended to reflect the value of injuries which Mr Cooper suffered.”

Mr Cooper is taking legal action for damages against BFS.

Paterson Recruitment, which arranged Mr Cooper’s job, denies the Health and Safety Act charge and will stand trial in June.