Ian Leivers believes wife Gillian’s conviction for corporate manslaughter over the deaths of Nathan Walker and Gavin Rawson, who drowned in semi-liquid pig feed at Greenfeeds, Normanton, Bottesford, was miscarriage of justice
A husband who believes his wife has been a victim of a huge miscarriage of justice is campaigning to set her free from jail.
Ian Leivers’ wife Gillian is serving 13 years after being convicted of two counts of gross negligence manslaughter. in relation to the deaths of two men at the family company, Greenfeeds Ltd.
Mrs Leivers’ legal team are in the midst of preparing for an appeal on points of law relating to last year’s trial that saw the couple both jailed. A permission hearing is likely to be heard next month that will determine whether a full appeal will be heard.
Since his release from a 20-month jail term, Ian Leivers has re-examined what happened and claims there is a strong case for a full re-trial, allowing new evidence to be heard and previous testimony revisited.
Mr Leivers, from East Stoke, accuses Leicestershire Police of being too focused on the health and safety aspect, while failing to pursue other leads he says cast fresh light on his wife’s conviction being sound.
Nathan Walker, 19, and Gavin Rawson, 35, drowned in a road haulage tanker containing semi-liquid pig feed at Greenfeeds Ltd just before Christmas 2016.
The original joint investigation by police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) showed the company had no adequate health and safety procedures in place at its premises in Normanton, Bottesford, to govern the cleaning of their tankers. As well as the jail sentences, the company was fined £2m.
Mr Leivers says staff had no reason to go in the tankers. He said workers were told specifically never to enter tanks to clean them, and that the practice wasn’t required because of the way the tanks were manufactured and then adapted. He also suggests relevant CCTV evidence was not fully admitted into evidence.
“I want a fresh new police investigation to be carried out looking at the new evidence,” said Mr Leivers. “This is the biggest miscarriage of justice since the Guildford Four or the Birmingham Six.
“The case has to be re-opened. My wife does not deserve to be in prison.”
While believing her conviction to be unjust and unsound, he says he never loses sight of the fact that Nathan Walker and Gavin Rawson lost their lives and his thoughts remain with their families.
“I often feel guilty trying to prove this because two men died,” he said. “They are at the forefront of everything I do. Why did they go into that tank? None of this, their deaths, imprisonment, never should have happened in a million years. The sense of injustice has given me a sense of dread in my stomach every day for seven years.”
Mr Leivers writes to solicitors every day. He visits his wife on Saturdays without fail and they speak daily by phone.
He wasn’t at the site on the day the deaths occurred and says Gillian, who he describes as a shareholder but not an officer of the company, only went in to the office as it was Christmas Jumper Day.
An online petition has been set-up by an author, Becca Brittain, who is writing a book about the case, profits from which will go to charity.
The petition – Free grandmother Gillian – Bring her home for Christmas – has around 700 signatures.
A Leicestershire Police spokesman said: “Following the death of two employees at Greenfeeds Ltd in December 2016, police carried out a full investigation.
“The case was heard before a jury at Leicester Crown Court and in June 2022 three people were convicted – two of these were given custodial sentences. The police investigation concluded with the outcome of the trial. There is a judicial process to follow for anyone wishing to appeal a conviction or sentencing.”
The Crown Prosecution Service said: “Following an investigation by Leicestershire Police we charged Ian Leivers and Gillian Leivers after our legal test was met. Both were found guilty by a jury at Leicester Crown Court on 7 June 2022.
“As an appeal has been launched and proceedings are active, we are unable to comment further.”
A Leicestershire Police spokesperson said: “Following the death of two employees at Greenfeeds Ltd in December 2016, police carried out a full investigation.
“The case was heard before a jury at Leicester Crown Court and in June 2022 three people were convicted – two of these were given custodial sentences.
“The police investigation concluded with the outcome of the trial. There is a judicial process to follow for anyone wishing to appeal a conviction or sentencing.”
The Crown Prosecution Service said: “Following an investigation by Leicestershire Police we charged Ian Leivers and Gillian Leivers after our legal test was met. Both were found guilty by a jury at Leicester Crown Court on 7 June 2022.
“As an appeal has been launched and proceedings are active, we are unable to comment further.”
