Man who drowned in pig feed tanker trying to save teen ‘was a superhero’

‘People said Gavin helped them in situations. He always had their back,’ victim’s mother says

Gavin Rawson, left, and Nathan Walker died while working for Greenfeeds Ltd (Leicestershire Police/SWNS)

A man who drowned while trying to rescue his teenage colleague from a pig feed tanker has been called a “superhero” by his family.

Gavin Rawson died alongside 19-year-old Nathan Walker at their workplace in 2016, when both men were overcome by toxic fumes and drowned in a container owned by Greenfeeds Ltd, a food waste recycling company based in Normanton, Leicestershire. Their employer was found guilty of corporate manslaughter earlier this month.

The trial heard how Mr Rawson rushed to help his teenage colleague, who had got into difficulty while cleaning the tanker of semi-liquid pig feed. Jurors heard how the 35-year-old climbed into the container in an attempt to rescue Mr Walker.

His parents have told the BBC this was characteristic of their son.

Mr Rawson’s mother, Linda, said he used to wear Superman pyjamas while growing up. “On that day, he was a superhero. People said Gavin helped them in situations. He always had their back,” she told the BBC. “He wouldn’t have thought about the gases; he would just have wanted to get [Nathan] out.”

Last week, Greenfeeds Ltd was fined £2m, and one of its co-owners, Gillian Leivers, was jailed for 13 years over the deaths, after a trial at Leicester Crown Court.

A judge said the 60-year-old, of Fosse Road in Newark, Nottinghamshire, had shown a “blatant disregard for a high risk of death” while in charge of staff at the company.

Her husband, 59-year-old Ian Leivers, also of Fosse Road, was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment after being found guilty of a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act as a director of the company.

Describing the circumstances during his sentencing remarks, judge Mr Justice Fraser said: “Gavin was the first to respond, and went to Nathan’s immediate assistance.

“He must have seen Nathan from the top hatch, and with no thought for his own safety, bravely entered the tanker in order to rescue him.

“That courageous decision cost Gavin his life. He suffered the same fate as Nathan almost immediately, becoming overcome by the gas and losing consciousness.”

Additional reporting by Press Association