A Windsor builder has received a suspended prison sentence after a roof collapse injured three workers and caused extensive damage to a home
Jack Savva, 70, has been given a 13-month custodial sentence after a house collapse left three workers injured and the homeowner left with a £200k bill.
The incident occurred on 6 August 2020, when a brick gable wall fell after the roof was removed during a loft conversion at the property in Springfield Road.
Two days prior, Savva had informed the homeowner that work on the chimney breast was incomplete and would require propping. Despite this, he instructed his team to remove key supporting timbers and steel beams on the day of the work. The gable wall collapsed into the house, striking the workers and destroying the first floor, which was occupied at the time.
HSE investigation
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Savva had failed to ensure the building remained stable while in a temporary state of weakness. He did not address the unsupported chimney breast or implement adequate precautions, resulting in the dangerous collapse.
One of the injured workers described ongoing trauma from the incident: “I still suffer from nightmares of the day of the accident. I haven’t slept more than two hours a night over the last four years.”
Savva was ordered to pay £2,000 compensation
Savva pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 19(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. At Reading Crown Court on 17 September 2025, he was ordered to pay £2,000 in compensation to the homeowner. The property owner faced a £200,000 rebuild bill due to Savva’s invalid public liability insurance.
HSE inspector Dominic Goacher said: “Although three men were seriously injured, it was fortunate that nobody was killed. This was entirely avoidable. Proper precautions, including supporting the gable wall before removing roof components, would have prevented the collapse.”
HSE guidance
HSE guidance highlights the importance of temporary bracing and propping during structural alterations, particularly when weaknesses are known or suspected. More information is available here: Structural stability during alteration, demolition and dismantling
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