By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:43 PM on 28th February 2011
Three fire service managers have been charged with manslaughter over the deaths of four firefighters in a warehouse blaze.
Paul Simmons, Adrian Ashley and Timothy Woodward will face charges of manslaughter by gross negligence in court on April 1 over the deaths four years ago.
Firefighters Ian Reid, John Averis, Ashley Stephens and Darren Yates-Badley died in a warehouse fire in Atherstone-on-Stour in 2007.
Brave: Firefighters John Averis (left) , 27, and Ashley Stephens (right), 20, were killed in the warehouse fire in Atherstone-on-Stour in 2007
Blaze: The other two men who died were Ian Reid (left), 44, and Darren Yates-Badley (right), 24. Fire chiefs will be charged with their manslaughter on April 1
All three men to be charged are managers for Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Warwickshire County Council faces a charge of failing to ensure the health and safety at work of its employees, under Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
The defendants will appear at Leamington Spa Magistrates' Court on April 1.
Michael Gregory, reviewing lawyer in the CPS Special Crime Division, said: 'Following a thorough investigation by Warwickshire Police and the Health and Safety Executive, I have reviewed the evidence in this case very carefully and I have decided that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to charge Paul Simmons, Adrian Ashley and Timothy Woodward with gross negligence manslaughter.
Firemen's cortege: The families of the dead firemen attend their funeral while their colleagues line the street in Atherstone-on-Stour in 2007
'Mr Simmons and Mr Ashley were watch managers and Mr Woodward was a station manager at the time of the fire, but they all acted as incident commanders before, during and after their colleagues were sent into the burning building.
'In that role, they were responsible for making the operational decisions while their colleagues tried to put out the fire.
'I have also decided that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction against Warwickshire County Council for failing to protect the health and safety of its employees and that it is in the public interest to prosecute.
'I send my sincere condolences to the families of these four men who died in such terrible circumstances.'
Since January last year police have arrested 13 firefighters and fire service managers in connection with the deaths.
Nine firefighters, including Paul Stephens, 54, dad of tragic Ashley, will not face any charges after the CPS decided there was 'insufficient evidence' against them.
More than 80 firefighters and 16 fire engines tackled the blaze on November 2 2007, for over five hours.
Four former employees, all Polish nationals, were arrested in May 2009 in connection with the suspected arson but released without charge.
Simmons, Ashley and Woodward will appear at Leamington Spa magistrates court on April 1.
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