A CONSTRUCTION worker plunged to his death at an “obviously dangerous” site to restore a town’s fire damaged pier, a court heard.

Stephen Penrice, of Maryport, was working on Eastbourne Pier after it had been gutted by a fire.

The 44-year-old fell through the Victorian structure and died after landing on the pebble beach 30ft below.

It is alleged that the company he worked for, MPM North West Ltd, failed to act in its duty of care towards him.

Site foreman Paul Dixon, 53, and project director Michael Hawkins, 37, have gone on trial accused of manslaughter by gross negligence.

At Brighton Crown Court a jury was this week sworn in to hear evidence in the case before High Court judge Sir Michael Soole.

Philip Evans QC, prosecuting, opened the case and said the incident happened on August 19, 2014.

He said: “Stephen Penrice was working on a construction site, engaged in part of a project to carry out repairs to Eastbourne Pier which had earlier been damaged by fire.

“As he was taking a break from work, he fell through the pier, and as a result of that fall he died.

“This case centres around that death and the reasons for it., and also deals with allegations relating to health and safety offences.”

Mr Evans showed the jury pictures of the scene taken by drone photography after the front portion of the pier needed extensive rebuilding work after the fire in July 2014.

The grade-II listed landmark, first opened in 1870, was closed for months while repairs were carried out. Police believe the fire may have been caused by arson, but no arrests were made.

MPM North West Ltd were brought in to carry out work at the pier so it could reopen.

Mr Evans showed pictures of the site which showed boards had been put down to make a walkway to allow access and egress onto the site for workers.

He said Mr Penrice, from Sandylonning, Netherton, fell through the structure, about the distance of a three-storey building, onto the beach below.

“Our case is the defendants breached their duty of care they owed to Mr Penrice, and the breach was so bad in this case it amounts to gross negligence,” Mr Evans said.

“Michael Hawkins and Paul Dixon owed a duty to take reasonable care of his safety by providing a safe environment and to provide a safe means of access and egress from the pier.

“Images show what Stephen Penrice was confronted with on the day he was working. We say these images depict a site which was generally unsafe.”

Mr Evans said a walkway from scaffolding was made on the west side, but as it was being removed to allow for repairs, a walkway also appeared on the east side of the pier out of wooden boards.

There were gaps between the loose boards, and Mr Penrice may have stepped onto a part of concrete which might have appeared safer, but then gave way beneath him.

Mr Penrice did not have an attached harness or wire available, and there were no safety nets below to catch him or break his fall.

Mr Evans said: “There was no edge or protection at the side of the boards. There were gaps between them and they were not fixed down.

“Just looking at that right side of the pier, it is obviously dangerous.”

Dixon, formerly of Caroline Way, Eastbourne, Hawkins, formerly of The Promenade, Maryport, and MPM North West Ltd deny manslaughter.