Haut Du Mont trial: Worker told colleague he 'didn't test' gas main

A court has heard that, hours after the fatal explosion at Haut Du Mont, an Island Energy worker told his colleague that he 'didn't test the gas main', and that he thought he'd left a gas valve open at the block of flats.

Andrew Robinson, who was Commercial Sales Manager for Island Energy when the blast happened on 10 December 2022, and had worked at the company for 36 years, said he was ‘shocked’ that a pressure test (for gas leaks) hadn’t been carried out before reinstating gas to the network.

Mr Robinson said:

"It’s the rule that you always, always, test the gas pipe before putting gas into the system."

The court previously heard that a pressure test hadn't been carried out before gas was restored after the St Helier Yacht Club had lost supply when a gas pipe was cut in the wrong place while Island Energy was tasked with decommissioning the supply to Haut du Mont.

Haut Du Mont Trial: Gas works were 'sloppy, unsafe, and cut corners', allege prosecutors - Channel 103

Mr Robinson has also been recalling a conversation he allegedly had with Mr Armstrong a short time after the explosion, which happened just before 4am.

It is day eight of the trial of three former Island Energy workers and their employer, over the deaths of ten people who lived in the flats on Pier Road.

The jury heard that Mr Armstrong also told Mr Robinson he may have left the valve open at the flats the day before (9 December) because he was 'distracted' by a workman at Haut Du Mont when he was checking the Emergency Control Valves and plugs there. 

Haut Du Mont Trial: Worker checking gas valves spent almost 'entire' time on his phone

Mr Robinson agreed with Defence Advocate Rui Tremoceiro that Mr Armstrong was 'wracking his brain for a cause of the explosion,’ that he ‘looked in shock’ during the conversation, and he ‘wasn’t’ speaking ‘calmly or methodically.’

The witness was asked why he didn't mention this conversation in his first police interview in December 2022.

Mr Robinson told the jury this was because the interview was 'short' and that he was 'directed' by specific questions from the police officer, and was 'answering those questions' carefully.

He did recall the conversation in video-interview evidence at a later stage.

Advocate Tremoceiro said that Mr Armstrong 'does not remember that conversation’.

Neil Armstrong (centre)

Mr Robinson told the jury, during cross-examination, that after the event, and seeing what he saw, ‘it is etched in my brain exactly what was said to me that morning.’

The court heard that Mr Robinson passed on what Mr Armstrong had said to him to to the-then CEO, Jo Cox, because it was a ‘a crucial bit of knowledge and evidence' for what happened at the incident.

The jury had previously been shown a text message from Mr Armstrong on the evening of 9 December, which read, 'I accept full responsibility for this.'

Former Head of Customer Operations, Paul Hanley, also giving evidence, said he understood this to refer to the 'incidents on the 9 December' - the day before the explosion. 

Neil Armstrong, along with other engineers John Wright and Lee Ward, deny gross negligence manslaughter, while Island Energy denies health and safety failings.

The trial continues.

Read our full coverage of the trial here:

Haut du Mont trial: Island Energy 'placed health and safety at risk'

Haut Du Mont Trial: 'It could explode', jury hears 999 calls

Haut Du Mont Trial: Worker checking gas valves spent almost 'entire' time on his phone

Haut Du Mont Trial: Gas works were 'sloppy, unsafe, and cut corners', allege prosecutors

Haut du Mont trial: Explosion 'an incident waiting to happen'

Haut du Mont trial begins