A MILLIONAIRE property developer and his foreman have appeared in court accused of manslaughter after a carpenter’s fatal fall at a building site.

Businessman Michael Holland, owner of Hove-based Cherrywood Investments, and Grant Oakes are standing trial following the death of Dave Clark who fell from the first floor of a stable block he was working on at Stanmer Park on September 30, 2014.

Emergency services battled to save Mr Clark, a sub-contractor for Mr Holland’s company,

The 55-year-old, of Dyke Road Avenue, Hove, was airlifted to St George’s Hospital in Tooting, London, in a critical condition and he fell into a coma. He died a month later on October 28.

The pair were arrested in February 2015 and released on bail but then were charged just over a year later.

Holland, 69, of King’s Road, Brighton, and Oakes, 46, of Elm Drive, Hove, stood motionless as the charges were read to them.

They spoke only to confirm their names at Lewes Crown Court yesterday. Both deny manslaughter.

Oakes is also charged with failing to discharge his duty under the Health and Safety Act 1974. He denies failing to take suitable measures between August and October 2014 to prevent as far as possible anyone working at first floor level from being injured.

Judge Christine Laing told jurors the prosecution would open the case today.

Tributes poured in for the builder known to friends as “Brighton Dave”.

At the time of his arrest, Holland, also proprietor of The British Engineerium in The Droveway, Hove, told The Argus everyone at his company was devastated by the death.

After securing the 18th century mansion Stanmer House, adjacent to the construction site, on a long-term lease from the council in 2004, he spent £5 million transforming it into a restaurant and wedding venue.

Planning permission to convert the stable buildings into seven two-bedroom houses and one two-bedroom flat was granted by Brighton and Hove City Council in January 2014.

Holland, who once appeared on the TV programme Secret Millionaire, also had plans to convert Brighton’s Astoria cinema into offices and once proposed a £25 million scheme to restore the West Pier.

The pair have been on bail for more than two years while Sussex Police and the Health and Safety Executive investigated the death.

International football stars travelled from all corners of the world in 2015 in honour of Mr Clark.

They included ex-England international players Mark Walters and Graham Roberts, Northern Ireland’s record goal scorer David Healy and ex-Scottish international Andy Goram who turned out in memory of the lifelong Glasgow Rangers fan who earned his nickname Brighton Dave when he went on tour around the world. Ex-England international players Terry Hurlock and Mark Falco, Scotland’s Alex Rae and Dutch player Michael Mols also played for the Glasgow Rangers Legends team against South Coast Legends in a charity match at Bognor Regis Town Football Club – another team Mr Clark supported.