Aberdeen roofing boss fined after worker dies in fatal workplace accident

The wife of a roofer who died in a workplace accident has welcomed the conviction of his employer. 

Matthew Ryan suffered a fatal head injury in March 2024 after he fell from a property in the village of St Cyrus near Montrose, Angus. 

The tragedy was investigated by the Health & Safety Executive which concluded that Matt’s employer - Stonehaven Roofing Services (SRS) – breached health and safety guidelines that contributed to the incident. 

Andrew Kenyon, the director of SRS, pleaded guilty to the breaches at Aberdeen Sheriff Court in July this year and was fined £20,000 reduced to £14,000 for an early guilty plea. 

Nicola Pert, who had been with Matthew for 12 years and married for five years, paid tribute to her husband after the conviction.

She said: “Matt and I spent nearly half our lives together as partners and best friends, and his loss is something I don’t think I’ll ever fully come to terms with. 

“He was hard-working, funny, reliable and a motoring enthusiast and I’ll miss travelling with him all over the UK for random, fun days out – we really did everything together and I will sincerely cherish the memories of our time together. 

“The manner of Matt’s death was completely avoidable and robbed me and both our families of a future with a man we all utterly adored. 

“It would be wrong to say I am ‘glad’ about anything that has happened around this conviction because, to me, there’s nothing to possibly be glad about.

“It is however right that justice is done and this early admission of guilt at least spares us additional unnecessary anguish.

“I would like to thank my friends and family for their support over the last two years – you have helped me survive something I never thought I would have to endure – and I now only wish for peace and privacy from media as I look to the future and try and find a way forwards.”

A dedicated team at the Digby Brown Aberdeen office is now supporting Nicola and Matthew’s wider family with a fatal accident claim against Stonehaven Roofing Services. 

More coverage on this story can be found on BBC, Daily Record and Press & Journal.