THE FAMILY of a Barry man that died after falling from a low wall at Sully Sports and Leisure Club have spoken of their relief after the company was found guilty of failing health and safety laws.

Robert 'Bob' Kemp died after falling from a low wall at Sully Sports and Leisure Club following a civil partnership party held at the South Road venue on June 30, 2012.

After a week-long trial the company that owns the sports club, Barry Plastics Sports and Leisure Club, was found guilty of failing to provide adequate lighting of the patio area and failing to ensure the safety of Mr Kemp.

His only daughter Rachael Saddington welcomed the verdict and said that she hoped it would prevent further tragic accidents from happening there ever again.

“At last my father can rest in peace knowing that justice has been done,” she added.

Bob Kemp, who worked as a double-glazing sales manager on Church Road in Barry, was the beloved partner of Jenny Newland, owner of Hair By Jenny on Barry Road, for nearly 30 years.

Jenny’s children, Emily Booker and Jason Newland, came to Newport Crown Court every single day of the week-long trial and welcomed the guilty verdict reached by the jury after they deliberated for under two hours.

“We are not going to come back for the sentencing as it’s not about the fine, it’s about closure and justice,” said Emily.

“It’s about them accepting that they were at fault.”

Jason, 43, added: “If this stops it happening to other clubs or establishments we hope it will have an impact and other families won’t have to go through what we have.”

He added: “I was so relieved with the verdict and that’s the end of it all.

“If they had been found not guilty it would have felt like they had got away with it.”

He added that they believed Bob’s death had left their mum broken hearted as she died of cancer just six months later.

“I firmly believe that if that accident hadn’t happened then she would still be alive today,” he said.

“With all the stress she was under she wasn’t the same again.

“They were inseparable and did everything together, and that’s why she found it so hard afterwards."

He added: "We would also like to say a thank you to Mark Adams Jones, the health and safety officer who built the case for trial, who was very sensitive throughout."

During the hearing Sully Sports and Leisure Club argued health and safety was a priority and staff would survey the area before functions. Barry Plastics Sports and Leisure Limited, trading as Sully Sports and Leisure Club, was found guilty of failing to ensure the health and safety of persons under their employment, namely visitor Robert Kemp.