Baldwins Crane Hire has become the first company to be charged with corporate manslaughter, following the death of one of their company drivers. Lindsay Easton was driving a heavy crane down a steep road when the vehicle crashed into an earth bank off the road.æ It has been alleged that the brakes in the vehicle failed. Jane Wragg, specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said: 'I have concluded that Baldwins Crane Hire should be charged with an offence of corporate manslaughter. 'I have also concluded that there is sufficient evidence to charge the company Baldwins Crane Hire with offences under Section 2 and Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.î Wragg believed that there was sufficient evidence in place for a realistic chance of conviction, and that under the relatively new law a prosecution would be in the public interest. The case will go to trial in October. Eight companies have been convicted of corporate manslaughter since it was introduced in April 2008.æ Two have been acquitted, and four are currently awaiting trial. Julia Messervy-Whiting, a partner at law firm Shakespeare Martineau, said: 'There has been a surprising lack of convictions under the [Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide] Act and only one of those resulted in the minimum £500,000 [fine] anticipated by the guidelines.î