St James and Lindner Prater convicted after window kills coach driver in City of London

A jury at Inner London Crown Court convicted developers St James and facade subcontractor Lindner Prater of health and safety breaches after a 130 kg glass window pane fell 25 storeys from a penthouse at The Corniche, Albert Embankment, killing coach driver Mick Ferris in October 2018.

Ferris, 53, worked for Clarkes of London, a National Express subsidiary, for more than 30 years. He was struck by the pane, which measured about 190 cm by 85 cm, while walking on the pavement below. The jury heard that another pane had fallen from the same building on 18 August 2017, injuring no one.

Design changed after first incident, court told

Prosecutors said the penthouse windows were originally designed to open inwards but were changed to outward-opening to avoid clashing with internal pipes and wiring. The court heard that a restrictor meant to prevent the window from being blown off had been removed before the fatal incident.

Health and Safety Executive prosecutor Gordon Menzies told the jury that the developers had eight opportunities to reconsider the design after the first pane fell. He said the firms relied on small written warnings and instructions not to open the windows, rather than redesigning them.

Foster + Partners and Wintech cleared

The jury cleared architecture firm Foster + Partners and design engineers Wintech Ltd after 11 hours of deliberation. The trial, which began in July 2026, heard that all four defendants denied the charges and claimed they had taken all reasonable steps to ensure safety.

A spokesperson for Foster + Partners said the firm’s thoughts remained with Ferris’s family. Wintech said the industry must reflect and strengthen standards to prevent similar incidents. St James acknowledged the verdict and said it would consider its implications. Lindner Prater had not commented when this report was filed.

What happens next

The Health and Safety Executive will decide whether to pursue further enforcement action. Sentencing dates for St James and Lindner Prater have not been set. The court has not yet determined whether compensation will be awarded to Ferris’s family.