Construction boss is spared jail after award-winning joiner, 18, was crushed to death during house renovation

Published: 15:50, 9 July 2026 | Updated: 15:54, 9 July 2026 A construction boss has avoided jail after an award-winning joiner was crushed to death during a house renovation.  Chloe Bidwell, 18, died after a plasterboard fell on her while she was renovating a house for university students in Bangor.   At the time, Chloe had been working as an apprentice and was described as a 'very talented young lady'.  Her talent also gained national recognition after she won a gold medal in joinery at the 'Skills Competition Wales'. Paying tribute to her daughter Clare Stephenson-Brown described her as 'full of life, energy and determination' and she said: 'The fact that she was by herself in those final moments is something which causes us unbearable pain.' Chloe was found dead underneath a plasterboard at a Varcity Living student accommodation in December 2023 where she had been working unsupervised. The tragic death prompted the police and the Health and Safety Executive to launch an investigation into what happened. Her family were in court last December when David Horrocks, 45, of Felinheli, North Wales, admitted as a director failing to discharge a health and safety duty. Chloe Bidwell, 18, died after a plasterboard fell on her while she was renovating a house for university students in Bangor Pictured: David Horrocks, a construction boss who has avoided jail after Chloe was crushed to death Varcity Living, of Bangor, pleaded guilty to on or before December 20, 2023, failing to ensure the safety of employees including Chloe Bidwell, and non-employees. Father-of-three Horrocks was given a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, and his company fined £50,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 costs. District Judge Gwyn Jones said there had been a 'systemic failure' of risk assessments and that Chloe should not have been on her own. In a scathing remark, the judge said the company's risk assessment 'wasn't worth the paper it was written on' as workers hadn't seen it.  Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers had provided a provisional cause of death of compression of the neck. Chloe had been a joinery apprentice with the student accommodation provider and encouraged other female learners to consider a career in a trade.  She won the gold prize in the Welsh building skills joinery awards at Coleg Menai for her carpentry work in 2023, beating young male students. Chloe always encouraged other young girls to consider a career in trade.   At the time she said: 'I've really enjoyed the whole experience. 'I love my apprenticeship and building houses and have been able to create bespoke pieces through these competitions. It's taught me so much. 'Winning a medal is incredible - not just because of the effort I've put in, but also the commitment from the colleges in preparing me. 'My apprenticeship workplace at Varcity Living has been supportive throughout the whole process too. 'To begin with, competing in a male-dominant category was quite nerve-wracking, but the guys were all lovely and supportive. 'However, it would be lovely to see more females and familiar faces competing.' Chloe was also a keen sportswoman and played for Llangefni rugby club and loved skydiving. The coroner said: 'The initial circumstances as reported to me are that Coed Celyn is a residential property undergoing complete renovation. It was therefore a building site at the time of Chloe Bidwell's death. 'Shortly before 7pm on December 20, North Wales police control room were made aware of a female now known to be Chloe Bidwell, not conscious or breathing, inside the hallway of the property with plasterboard appearing to have fallen on her back.'