Paul White, of Drayton near Norwich, admitted manslaughter over the death of Mr Arnup in the machine, known as a paper hogger.
”Whatever punishment is given to the company or to Paul White, it won't make any difference to us because it can never bring Kevin back. We will never forget him and so much will never be the same again“
– Melly Arnup
Mr White, managing director of the company had himself referred to the machine as dangerous, Norwich Crown Court was told. As a director of the firm MW White at Ketteringham, near Wymondham, he also admitted failing to ensure workers' safety under the Health and Safety Act.
The court heard a stop button on the shredder did not work properly, making it appear as if pressing it switched the machine off when it was actually merely paused between gears.
Dangerous hogger
The court heard that it was a regular practice that workers would climb on to the machine to clear blockages while it was paused. Mr Arnup, 36, of Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich, a foreman at the company, died just before Christmas 2003 after the shredder restarted while he was working on it.
William Coker, prosecuting, said Mr White knew he was responsible for the safety of his workforce, particularly with regard to what he described in his own words as “that bloody dangerous hogger.”
Mr Coker said that Mr White was aware the practice of working on the machine while it was still connected was potentially fatal. He added that the only explanation for the practice of allowing staff to work on the shredder while it was paused was for “commercial convenience”.
Risk
Mr Coker also said that Mr White knew the power should have been completely cut off from the shredder before any work was carried out on it and that there should have been a way to switch it off completely. “He was aware there was a risk of multiple fatalities, but far from stopping the practice he participated in it,” said Mr Coker.
The hearing was adjourned, but Judge Justice Bell told White that giving him unconditional bail was not an indication of the sentence to come. “You must not feel that by releasing you on bail at this stage it is an indication I am thinking one way or another,” he said.
Painful memories
Mr Arnup's family said after the hearing they were relieved that some responsibility had been taken for his death. His widow, Melly, said life would never be the same again. The family no longer celebrated Christmas as it brought back too many painful memories.
“It's been ruined forever for the whole family,” she said. “This will be with us all, every day for the rest of our lives. I am relieved Kevin's death has been investigated and that justice has been done and someone has accepted responsibility for what happened.
“But whatever punishment is given to the company or to Paul White, it won't make any difference to us because it can never bring Kevin back. We will never forget him and so much will never be the same again,” she added.
The couple had been married for 16 years, and Mrs Arnup said her husband was kind, caring and hard-working. “I will always have nothing but happy memories of him.”
He also left three children, Clare, 22, Kelly, 19, and Jason, 16, as well as a number of grandchildren.
The investigation into the circumstances of his death was carried out jointly by inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and detectives from Norwich CID.
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