A company director has been sentenced to 100 hours of work in the community after the death of a construction worker who was crushed by a falling concrete slab on a building site.

Norman Ellis, of Q Homes (Yorkshire) Ltd, based at Quarry Road, Gomersal, must perform community service and pay £6,000 costs after the Health and Safety Executive prosecution.

It follows the death of Andrew Bridges, 25, of Leeds Old Road, Heckmondwike, who was killed in 2005 when part of a roof collapsed on him yards from where his father Michael was working. The father-of-one died instantly.

Mr Bridges and Mr Ellis had been working to demolish a 2.5 tonne reinforced concrete roof of a former electrical store on Bradford Road, Batley, when the accident happened. Mr Ellis pleaded guilty at Dewsbury Magistrates' Court to failing to ensure the health and safety of an employee.

HSE Inspector Sarah Hague said: "This was a tragic incident, made worse by the fact it could have been prevented had the work been properly planned.

"The court was of the opinion that, in this case, a fine would not have reflected the seriousness of the offence. The way in which the work was carried out, which resulted in Mr Bridges' death, represented very serious failings on the part of Mr Ellis who had planned and was also carrying out the work."

She said this case "provides a strong warning to the industry that its focus must be on prevention of risk".

An inquest was held into Mr Bridges' death in March last year where the jury returned a verdict of misadventure.