Owners of a wrecking yard who told 'disgraceful' lies about how worker died are fined $3million and sentenced to 10 months behind bars
- Tiger Barry Willis, 58, was crushed to death by a reversing forklift in May last year
- The owners, who are brothers, lied to ambulance officers and Mr Willis' family
- They claimed he had fallen one metre from the back of the truck to the ground
- They were both sentenced to 10 months' jail wholly suspended for 20 months
- The business plead guilty to industrial manslaughter and was fined $3 million
The owners of a wrecking yard where an employee was killed in a horrific work site accident have been hit with a $3million fine and 10 months' jail after initially lying to authorities about what happened.
Tiger Barry Willis, 58, died when another employee reversed a forklift into him, crushing him against a truck, at Brisbane Auto Recycling in May last year.
The father-of-four was rushed to hospital but died eight days later from his injuries, the Courier Mail reported.
Owners Asadullah Hussaini, 25 and Mohammad Ali Jan Karimi, 23, who are brothers, lied to ambulance officers, Mr Willis' family and health and safety officers about the accident.
Owners Asadullah Hussaini (left), 25 and Mohammad Ali Jan Karimi (right), 23, who are brothers, lied to ambulance officers, the victim's family and health and safety officers about the accident
They claimed Mr Willis had fallen one metre from the back of the truck to the ground.
But doctors said Mr Willis' injuries were not consistent with the owners' account of what happened, and CCTV revealed Mr Willis was crushed by the forklift.
Mr Hussaini and Mr Karimi later cooperated with investigators.
In Brisbane District Court on Thursday, Judge Anthony Rafter slammed the poor safety measures on the site, and said the brothers' lies were 'disgraceful'.
'I have viewed the CCTV footage. It is incredible distressing to see Mr Willis crushed by the force of the forklift,' Judge Rafter said.
'The moral culpability of each is high. The defendants knew of the potential consequences of the risk which were catastrophic.'
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Judge Rafter said the pair could have easily taken simple steps to minimise safety risks around the site, but chose not to.
The brothers each pleaded guilty to engaging in reckless conduct. They were both sentenced to 10 months' jail wholly suspended for 20 months.
Their business also pleaded guilty to a charge of industrial manslaughter and was fined $3 million.
Mr Willis left behind his four kids and six grandchildren aged between three and 11.
Mr Hussaini and Mr Karimi came to Australia as refugees from Afghanistan in 2010.
They are now permanent Australian residents but narrowly escaped deportation, which comes if they were handed sentences of 12 months or longer.
Josie Cleeland (centre), the daughter of Barry Willis who was killed while working for Brisbane Auto Recycling, is seen outside the Brisbane District Court
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