THE jury hearing the case of a factory boss accused of manslaughter is due to retire on Monday to consider its verdict.

Closing speeches in the case of Factory Cover managing director John Elders, who is standing trial at Teesside Crown Court accused of the manslaughter of father-of-three Stanley Dawson, were heard on Thursday.

Yesterday, Judge David Bryant summed the case up to the jury, before adjourning it until after the weekend, when the jury is expected to retire.

Teesside Crown Court previously heard that Mr Dawson died of head injuries after falling through the roof of a Billingham warehouse, on which he was working, in May 2000.

Mr Elders, 48, and his company deny the manslaughter of the 50-year-old from Huxley Walk, Hartlepool.

Mr Elders, of The Green, Elwick, near Hartlepool, had denied two breaches of the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act, but earlier this week he changed his plea to guilty.

The firm, of Tofts Farm Industrial Estate, Hartlepool, admits failing to make an adequate risk assessment and failing to provide adequate safety equipment.

The case continues.