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Farmer fined £500 after allowing grandchild to illegally ride tractor
Howard Walters, 78, was issued a prohibition notice by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in November 2020 after admitting to inspectors that he had allowed his pre-teen grandchildren to ride in his tractor. He was then filmed by his neighbour breaching the terms of that notice just two months later.
Walters was also the subject of a suspended prison sentence for unrelated environmental offences at the time of committing the offence.
In a case that was heard on 27 August 2024 at Swansea Crown Court, Walters, of Tirmynydd Farm in Birchgrove, Swansea, pleaded guilty to breaching section 33(1)(g) Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
Subsequently, he was fined £500 for breaching the terms of his suspended sentence, ordered to £3,000 in costs and given a 12-month community order which will include 25 days of rehabilitation.
Law ‘very clear’ about children and machinery
HSE inspector Simon Breen, who investigated Mr Walters, said that the law is “very clear” as it relates to children under 13 driving or riding on agricultural machinery, including the tractor cab.
“For any child to ride on agricultural machinery like a tractor is unsafe and illegal,” said Breen.
“The fact this farmer chose to ignore a prohibition notice for putting his grandchildren at risk is all the more staggering. We will take action against those who break the law. The solution is very simple – young children should never ride in agricultural vehicles.”
In addition, children must not be allowed in the farm workplace, while any access to the farm workplace by children under 16 must be planned and fully supervised by an adult not engaged in any work activity.
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