Dairy facing court over boy's death

A council is prosecuting Unigate Dairies and a milkman for employing a five-year-old boy.

The child, John Naylor, is alleged to have been riding on a milk float, but died after he fell off and was run over by the float last September.

The case, which is being brought by Greenwich council under the 1933 Children and Young persons act, will be heard at Well Street magistrates' court on 12 July.

John, who lived in Robert Street, Plumstead, was near his grandmother's home in Whinchat Road, Thamesmead, when the accident happened. He was rushed to the Brook Hospital at Shooters Hill, but died from shock and multiple injuries.

An inquest was held at Southwark in November, when the coroner, Sir Montague Levine, recorded a verdict of accidental death.

A council spokesman said: 'The council has jurisdiction over child employment law.

It is understood the dairy and the milkman have both denied the offence.

A spokesman for Unigate said: 'We do not wish to comment.