Labourer crushed by bull

A MAN found lying face-down in a field near Castle Douglas had likely been crushed by a bull, a fatal accident inquiry heard this week.

Graeme Riddick, 49, was found in the field which held the bull and 36 heifers at Cuil Farm on December 23rd last year by farmer Jim Campbell, who said there was no reason for Mr Riddick to be on foot in the field and who found Mr Riddick's tractor still running but parked in an unusual place.

He added that Mr Riddick had been told to read the risk assessment documents when he worked on the farm on a self-employed basis when required.

One theory put forward by the farmer and Health and Safety officials was that Mr Riddick had gone into the field to look for part of the telescopic hook which links the tractor and feed trailer, which was later found to be missing.

Mr Campbell said this part had been on the tractor that morning but despite numerous searches of the field after the accident, it had never been found.
Procurator fiscal depute Lyndsay Hunter said the cause of death was crushing caused by stock and most likely the Holstein bull which was later destroyed.

Mr Campbell said: "I was extremely upset but my first instinct was to remove the stock from the field.
"The first thing I did was to phone my wife to get the emergency services and then I got the stock into another field. There was no problem with the cows and the bull showed no aggression."

Health and Safety executive official James Young said "I was satisfied with the risk assessment and materials at Cuil Farm and the conclusion I came to was that Mr Riddick died at the hands of cattle."

Sheriff Derek Livingston said the cause of death was a crush injury to Mr Riddick's chest caused by a heifer, heifers or a bull, the latter being the most likely cause.
The sheriff also said that there was no defect in any system which had led to Mr Riddick's death and there was only speculation as to why he had gone into the field because he would have been aware of the danger

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