A NORTH YORKSHIRE businesswoman has been cleared of health and safety failings after the manager of a launderette died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Caroline Whalley, 58, was acquitted of failing to make arrangements for the management of construction work to ensure it can be carried out without risk to health and safety following the death of Muhammad Javid Butt at Taniya Dry Cleaners in Wandsworth Road, Clapham, on October 5, 2013.

Whalley, of Maidensworth Farm, Rape Close Lane in Gilling East, near Ampleforth, was accused alongside a builder who gassed a laundrette manager to death during an 'on the cheap' conversion project.

Mohammed Butt, 63, was found slumped on the floor at the dry cleaners in southwest London. Builder Keith Morris, 66, had been hired to convert the two floors above the business at Wandsworth Road into flats when Mr Butt's body was discovered.

He sawed down a ventilation flue which became blocked with rubble and had not left space for the toxic gas to escape.

Morris ran 6699 Ltd, which had been hired for the job by the building's owner, his co-defendant, Whalley, but during the trial it emerged that, although she owned the property, her brother Christopher had organised the building work.

Morris, of Beckenham,was spared jail at the Old Bailey and given an eight month jail term suspended for two years and ordering him to complete 200 hours unpaid work. He denied manslaughter and pleaded guilty to failing to discharge a duty as an employee to ensure welfare. The charge of manslaughter was dropped when the crown offered no evidence.

His employers, 6699 Ltd, pleaded guilty to failing to plan, manage and monitor the work to ensure the welfare of others before trial and is due back in court on July 28 for sentence.