James Watt was a young carpenter and joiner working on site for Bovis Construction Ltd (now known as Lendlease). The judge said he was satisfied from the evidence that Mr Watt developed and died of mesothelioma, due to exposure to asbestos dust, while in the employment of Bovis. That ghastly disease spent 60-odd years developing in his lungs, and finally killed him three years ago. His family brought an action against Bovis.

They proved their case, but they got not a penny in compensation for the damage done all those years before, when Mr Watt was fitting out shops as a joiner. Bovis bought 8ft x 2ft asbestos sheets, which were sawn up on site into 2ft x 2ft panels, then a surform used to neatly form a bevelled edge. They could have bought 2ft x 2ft readymade ceiling panels, but sheet stuff was cheaper. The panels were screwed through the face to timber noggins; and oodles of dust was the norm. That dust kills.

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