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phargreaves04  
#1 Posted : 05 October 2012 10:43:06(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
phargreaves04

If a company is charged for these fees and goes to court but is subsequently found not guilty for the breach, can the company claim back the charges made by the HSE ?
SBH  
#2 Posted : 05 October 2012 11:38:46(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
SBH

I believe if you object to the charges they are frozen until after the court case. If you win you dont pay but if you lose you pay extra SBH
Canopener  
#3 Posted : 05 October 2012 11:48:14(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Canopener

I would say that FFI and prosecutions (I assume that this is what you mean by going to court) are essentially 2 'discrete' issues i.e. an action that involves a FFI wouldn't necessarily involve a subsequent prosecution, and I ideally that is something that the company involved would presumably want to avoid. I don't think that the existence of FFI in itself would have any effect on the 'argument' that one side or the other would make for recovery of prosecution/defence costs, but whether you would be able to recover the FFI (and I think that this is what you're asking) if found not guilty of an offence that was directly related to the intervention, I don't know.
Ron Hunter  
#4 Posted : 05 October 2012 12:47:28(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Ron Hunter

In any instance, the party can be awarded costs. Actually getting these costs back is another matter entirely. In any event this would only arise via a two-step process? Presumably HSE cannot implement FFI on the basis of prosecution action - or can they?
Shineon55  
#5 Posted : 05 October 2012 13:00:54(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Shineon55

If there was an investigation of a material breach which led to a prosecution all the costs up until approval of the case (or submission to COPFS in Scotland) would be recoverable through FFI. In the event of a not guilty verdict the costs recovered through FFI would have to be refunded. Costs relating to the running of the case itself would need to be resolved through the normal application to the court for costs (in E&W, costs aren't recoverable in Scotland).
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