A 70-year-old woman who is accused of breaching workplace safety laws after a contractor working for her died in a quad bike accident told a court that “it would be like teaching granny to suck eggs” if she advised him how to use the bike.
Self-employed gardener, Paul Marsden, 47, was doing regular work for Nicholas Prest, 71, and his wife Anthea, 70, on land near Pilstone House, Llandogo, in Monmouthshire.
But he died of asphyxia in April 2020 after the quad bike he was riding crushed him.
Mr and Ms Prest are jointly accused of failing to discharge health and safety duties, and both deny the charge.
Mrs Prest said he “frequently” used the quad bike for work and drove it “competently”.
The jury heard Mrs Prest was a former professional ballet dancer and was a member of the English National Ballet until an injury ended her career.
She married her husband in 1985 and moved from London to Wales in 2006.
The court heard Mr and Mrs Prest bought Pilstone House in 2006 and she described it as a convenient home because her two daughters were in University in Cardiff and her son was studying at Bristol University.
Paul Marsden had been working for them for six and a half years before his death.
Mrs Prest described herself as being “very impressed” with his work.
She said over the six and half years his confidence had grown, and he was instrumental in clearing a passage in the woods which had become overgrown with brambles.
He had planted hedging and flowers, and become engaged in the work.
Mrs Prest said Mr Marsden “took delight in seeing the flowers grow and he was lovely to work with because of his interest”.
She told the court she would pay him from her personal account either with a cheque or bank transfer. The court heard she was given an allowance by her husband to run the house, which would include wages for the gardeners.
Mrs Prest said she never drove the quad bike. She said Mr Marsden had been using a “napsack spray” and would walk back and fore to refill it but she thought it would be easier to use the ATV (all-terrain vehicle).
Mrs Prest said “it would save him walking back and fore, and it was just used for transporting the herbicide because he would then get off the quad bike and spray spot the areas”.
On the day of Mr Marsden’s death Mrs Prest had seen him make up the solution and he said he thought 40 litres would be enough and that was how much was put on the ATV.
She could tell visually it was at 40 litres because it was a 90-litre tank and it was less than half full.
She denied it was the first time he had driven the vehicle with the tank and he had driven it at least once before with a tank attached.
Mrs Prest said she was in the orchard the last time she saw Mr Marsden and she gave him the “double thumbs up” and he waved and drove off on the ATV.
She explained to another employee, Nick Miles, her and her husband were going out for an hour and half to the neighbouring farm they owned.
Mrs Prest was emotional in the dock and said “on their return she learnt of the tragedy”.
The couple denied any negligence, insisting nothing they did or failed to do caused Mr Marsden’s death.
The trial continues.
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