Painter electrocuted after ladder hits power line while working with stepdad

Daniel Watton, 50, who operated under the name Inside Out Painters and Decorators Property Maintenance, received a suspended prison sentence following the death of trainee painter Connor Lambert.

The 24-year-old trainee painter, from Market Drayton, died after his ladder fell on the power lines while he was at work along with his stepdad, according to the regulatory body, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The trainer painter, Lambert, was working at a home in Ferndon, Cheshire, on July 29, 2024, when the fatal incident took place.

Lambert had been expecting his first child with his partner Megan McCann at the time.

Watton, who is a native of Wollerton, pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations by poorly planning the work. He was given 16 weeks of imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.

The investigators from the HSE concluded the work had not been properly planned, supervised or carried out safely.

It was also revealed following the investigations that the equipment used and methods of work were not suitable for the task and it identified issues such as lack of training and incompetence of those involved.

Watton was fined £10,645 in damages at Warrington Magistrates Court on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.