Lee Balkwell died in July 2002, at an Essex farm, after suffering multiple injuries
A police force has admitted it failed to investigate properly the death of a man found crushed under the drum of a cement mixer 13 years ago.
Les Balkwell took out a High Court civil action against Essex Police over its investigation of his son's death.
His son Lee Balkwell, 33, was found trapped at a farm in South Ockendon in 2002.
Essex Police admitted breaching the civil rights of the Balkwell family by failing to investigate properly.
A police spokesman said: "We can confirm we've admitted liability, and won't be commenting further at this time."
Mr Balkwell has been told by the court he is entitled to compensation but will not know how much this will be until a new hearing next summer.
In 2012, an Independent Police Complaints Commission report found eight senior officers made 25 errors in a "seriously flawed" investigation. It found no evidence of corruption.
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority made a £12,000 award based on the IPCC report "after considering all the evidence".
Les Balkwell, pictured at the High Court, said he was frustrated it had taken 13 years for police to admit officially they had failed
Lee Balkwell was found dead in a lane at South Ockendon in July 2002. He had been cleaning out a cement mixer.
An inquest jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing through gross negligence.
His employer Simon Bromley, of Dennises Lane, South Ockendon, was convicted of breaching health and safety regulations but was cleared of manslaughter by gross negligence.
The Crown Prosecution Service said no date had been set for him to be sentenced over the death of Mr Balkwell.
He has so far been jailed only for cannabis offences.
Mr Balkwell has told the BBC he was very frustrated it had taken 13 years for police to admit officially they failed.
- Published30 January 2015
- Published13 July 2010
- Published30 January 2012
