Death of Bradley Westell

Death of Bradley Westell
Date31 July 1995 (1995-07-31)
LocationNorth Sea, Scotland
CauseUmbilical drawn into vessel thruster
ParticipantsBradley Westell
Deaths1 (Westell)
TrialAs to hindering or frustrating an investigation, or dishonest conduct short of perjury (perverting the course of justice): Case No. T960640, Regina v. Kenneth Roberts[1]

Bradley Westell (1965/6 – 31 July 1995)[2] was a British commercial diver who died in the North Sea off Bacton, Norfolk after his umbilical was dragged into one of the thrusters of the diving support vessel Stena Orelia. This indirectly led to the 1997 conviction of diving supervisor Kenneth Roberts for perverting the course of justice,[3][4] and first prison sentence for a crime offshore working in the North Sea oil industry.[5]

  1. ^ Smart, Michael (2011). Into the Lion's Mouth: The Story of the Wildrake Diving Accident. Medford, Oregon: Lion's Mouth Publishing. pp. 387, 424 note 23. ISBN 978-0-615-52838-0. LCCN 2011915008.
  2. ^ Gall, Charlie (1 July 1997). "DIVE DEATH VIDEO WIPED; Cover-up bid after horror - court told". Daily Record. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  3. ^ "Supervisor cleared over diver's death". The Herald. 22 July 1997. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  4. ^ Limbrick, Jim (2001). North Sea Divers - a Requiem. Hertford: Authors OnLine. pp. 176–178. ISBN 0-7552-0036-5. Retrieved 12 September 2022 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Smart 2011, pp. 358, 387