The owner of a sign installation business has been found guilty over his role in a brick wall collapse in Carlton, which killed three people.
Teenage siblings Alexander and Bridget Jones and Frenchwoman Marie-Faith Fiawoo, 33, died on March 27, 2013 when a 20-metre section of the Carlton brick wall and attached wooden hoarding fell in high winds.
Construction giant Grocon was later fined $250,000 after pleading guilty to failing to ensure a safe workplace at the vacant Carlton and United Breweries site in Swanston Street.
Jonathon Westmoreland, 30, from Wandin North, had pleaded not guilty to a charge of doing building work without a permit over several days in October 2011 as the owner of Paramount Signs.
The Melbourne Magistrates Court heard there was no dispute that Mr Westmoreland carried out the work of making the wooden hoarding attached to the brick wall without a building permit.
Magistrate Carolene Gwynn found him guilty of the charge on Friday.
She said he could have easily checked to see if the project had a permit and had an obligation to not carry out the work unless such a permit was in place.
His defence lawyer Peter Haag said his client was at the margins of responsibility and was essentially a semi-skilled labourer taking orders from others.
But he said his client now makes sure building permits are in place.
The court heard the fatal aftermath of the hoarding construction collapse was not relevant to the finding of guilt in this case, which focused solely on the permit issue.
The hearing continues with legal arguments for his penalty.
This story first appeared in The Age
