St James and Lindner Prater convicted over Mick Ferris death in Albert Embankment window fall

A jury at Inner London Crown Court has convicted two firms over the death of Mick Ferris, a coach driver killed when a glass window pane fell 25 storeys from a luxury penthouse in Albert Embankment. St James, the project manager for The Corniche development, and Lindner Prater, the project’s engineers, were found guilty of health and safety breaches. The verdict was delivered after a trial that began in July 2026.

Ferris, 53, was struck by the 130 kg pane, which measured approximately 190 cm by 85 cm, on 29 October 2018. He died instantly on the pavement below. The court heard that Ferris had worked for Clarkes of London, a National Express subsidiary, for more than 30 years. Colleagues described him on social media as a "really nice" man following his death.

Earlier incident ignored, court told

Prosecutors argued that the firms failed to act after a near-identical incident on 18 August 2017, when another window panel fell from the same building. No one was injured in that incident, which the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) described as a warning that was ignored. The court heard that no design changes were made following the first fall.

Gordon Menzies, prosecuting for the HSE, told the jury that the 2017 incident was "an accident waiting to happen again". He said the developers had eight "missed opportunities" to reassess the safety of the outward-opening windows, which were originally designed to open inwards. The design was changed to avoid clashing with internal ceiling coffers containing pipes and wiring.

Jurors were told that a restrictor, designed to prevent windows from being blown off their hinges, had been removed. Construction workers were instructed not to open the windows at all, and small warning signs were placed near them for residents. Menzies said the developers were "hoping the residents would not forget to close their windows".

Two firms cleared, two convicted

After more than 11 hours of deliberation, the jury cleared Foster + Partners, the architecture firm behind the building, and Wintech Ltd, the design engineers. Both firms had denied the charges. A spokesperson for Foster + Partners said the firm’s "thoughts remain with Mr Ferris’s family" and that it noted the court’s decision. Wintech said it would "reflect and learn" from the incident to strengthen industry standards.

St James acknowledged the verdict in a statement, calling Ferris’s death "tragic" and extending condolences to his family and friends. Lindner Prater has not yet commented. The firms will be sentenced at a later date, with the maximum penalty for health and safety breaches including unlimited fines.

What happens next

Sentencing for St James and Lindner Prater has not yet been scheduled. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 allows for unlimited fines for breaches that result in death. The HSE has not indicated whether it will pursue further action against any of the firms involved. The Corniche remains occupied, and it is unclear whether additional safety measures have been implemented since the incidents.