St James and Lindner Prater convicted over 2018 window death in Lambeth
Jury clears Foster + Partners and Wintech after Mick Ferris was killed by falling glass pane
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A jury at Inner London Crown Court has convicted developers St James and facade subcontractor Lindner Prater of safety breaches over the death of Mick Ferris, a 53-year-old coach driver. Ferris was killed instantly on 29 October 2018 when a 130 kg glass window pane fell 25 storeys from The Corniche, a luxury apartment block on Albert Embankment in Lambeth.
The court heard that the window was part of a design change from inward-opening to outward-opening, introduced to avoid clashing with internal ceiling structures. A restrictor designed to prevent the window from being blown off had been removed. The same building had lost another window pane in August 2017, but no modifications were made to the design afterwards.
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Eight missed opportunities to prevent the death
Prosecutor Gordon Menzies told the jury that the developers had ignored "foreseeable risks" and outlined eight occasions when the danger could have been addressed. After the first window fell in 2017, an email was sent expressing concern about another incident, but no action was taken. Construction workers were instructed not to open the windows, and small warning signs were placed for residents.
Menzies said the designers had effectively relied on residents remembering to close their windows. The jury deliberated for more than 11 hours before clearing architecture firm Foster + Partners and design engineers Wintech Ltd. St James and Lindner Prater were found guilty of failing to protect the public under health and safety law.
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It wasn’t an accident waiting to happen … it was an accident that had already happened in August 2017. The prosecution say it was an accident waiting to happen again.
Gordon Menzies, prosecutor for the Health and Safety Executive
What happens next
St James and Lindner Prater will be sentenced at a later date. The Health and Safety Executive, which brought the case, has not indicated whether further action will be taken. A spokesperson for St James said the company would "carefully consider" the verdict. Lindner Prater has not commented.
Foster + Partners said its thoughts remained with Ferris’s family. "We note the court’s decision and are grateful to the jury for the time and care they have taken in considering this matter," a spokesperson said. Wintech said the tragedy would prompt reflection and a commitment to "strengthening standards and practices" in the industry.
Questions this report answers
+Who was convicted over Mick Ferris’s death?
St James and Lindner Prater were found guilty of safety breaches under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Foster + Partners and Wintech Ltd were cleared by the jury at Inner London Crown Court after a trial that began in July 2026.
+What caused the window to fall from The Corniche?
The window was originally designed to open inwards but was changed to outward-opening. A restrictor meant to prevent it from being blown off was removed. The court heard that a previous window had fallen from the same building in August 2017 without injury.
+What happens next for St James and Lindner Prater?
Both companies will be sentenced at a later date. The Health and Safety Executive has not indicated whether further action will follow. St James said it would "carefully consider" the verdict; Lindner Prater has not commented.
+How long had Mick Ferris worked for Clarkes Of London?
Mick Ferris had been a driver for Clarkes Of London, a National Express-owned firm, for more than 30 years. He was 53 when he was killed by the falling window pane on Albert Embankment in October 2018.
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