THE case against a paper mill charged under the Health and Safety at Work Act following an accident in which a worker suffered severe paralysis has been committed to the crown court.

Magistrates decided their powers were insufficient in the case of SCA Hygiene Products UK Ltd, based at Oakenholt Mill in Flint.

The case has now been listed at Mold Crown Court on September 3.

The charge arises from an incident on July 29, 2007, in which employee Christopher John Shaw was said to have been crushed by a two-tonne roll of paper.

Flintshire magistrates’ court at Mold was told he had been rendered paraplegic following spinal fractures, .

Mr Shaw, employed as an assistant winder man at the ejection point of an industrial paper-winding machine, now had no movement below his chest and had limited movement to his arms, the court was told.

The company gave no indication of plea.

The charge alleges the company failed as far as was reasonably practicable to to provide a safe system of work for the winder machine in the production of finished paper reels.