Wealthy businessman and his wife deny culpability for groundsman's death while spraying weed killer from quad bike at their £2.5million country home, court hears
Share:
A wealthy businessman and his wife have denied culpability for their groundsman's death while he was spraying weed killer from a quad bike at their country home. Self-employed gardener Paul Marsden was hired to spruce up the grounds of the Prests' £2.5million mansion in Llandogo, Monmouthshire, south Wales.
![[Defence chief Nicholas Prest, 71, and his wife Anthea, 70, are each accused of two charges under the Health and Safety at Work act in relation to the 47-year-old's death]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/14/93276189-14206021-image-a-28_1734531807639.jpg)
Defence chief Nicholas Prest, 71, and his wife Anthea, 70, are each accused of two charges under the Health and Safety at Work act in relation to the 47-year-old's death - but do not face charges of manslaughter. Mr Marsden - who was from the Forest of Dean - had been using a quad bike to spray weed killer when he fell from the vehicle at the home belonging to the couple in April 2020.
![[Pictured is the Prests' garden at their luxury country home]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/14/93276179-14206021-image-a-30_1734531816632.jpg)
An inquest held in Newport previously heard he was found dead under the 'all terrain vehicle' by another worker and a post mortem examination revealed he had died of asphyxia. Former Ministry of Defence official Mr Prest and his mother-of-three wife are accused of failing to check workers had protective equipment and that the quad bike was safe to use.
![[The Prests have previously hosted a number of garden parties at the Pilstone House home as charity fundraising events forthe NHS and the Ukraine. Pictured is Anthea Prest]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/14/93276181-14206021-image-a-32_1734531829803.jpg)
Mr Prest, previously worked for the MoD before setting up his own companies and is now the chairman of defence technology giant Cohort. He lives with Mrs Prest at the sprawling countryside house close to the village of Llandogo, in Monmouthshire which overlooks the River Wye and across into the Forest of Dean.
![[Defence chief Nicholas Prest, 71, and his wife Anthea, 70, leaving Cardiff Crown Court]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/14/93276193-14206021-image-a-33_1734531831863.jpg)
