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A man has been left unable to work and with short term memory loss after a 4.5m (15ft) fall at a grain store, a court has heard. The man was involved in repairing the roof of the building at a farm in Thurso when he stepped on to a moss-covered window. He fell on a concrete floor and suffered a fractured skull, broken ribs and a broken pelvis and wrist. His Wick-based employer has been fined £2,000.

William Swanson, who formerly traded as LTS Construction, pleaded guilty on Monday to a breach of working at height regulations at Wick Sheriff Court. The former employee has required orthopaedic care since the accident on 25 September 2019.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that Mr Swanson had failed in his responsibilities to ensure the work was properly planned and that the appropriate risk control measures were in place.

Following the sentencing, Alistair Duncan, head of HSE, said the accident could have been avoided.

He said: “This incident could well have proved fatal and it has irrevocably changed a man’s life."