The company which owns Vauxhall Motors is to be prosecuted after a Birkenhead electrician suffered fatal injuries three years ago at its car factory in Ellesmere Port.

The Health and Safety Executive is bringing criminal proceedings against General Motors UK Ltd after Stanley Heard was found crushed in machinery at the plant on North Road on July 22, 2010.

The 59-year-old from Birkenhead died in hospital 11 days later.

The company has been charged with breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

The charges relate to failing to ensure the safety of employees, and failing to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.

General Motors, of Osborne Road in Luton, Bedfordshire, is due to appear before Liverpool Magistrates’ Court this Thursday, July 4, for the first hearing in the case.