Westgold Resources pleads guilty over fatality of worker Paige Counsell at its Big Bell gold mine near Cue

A gold mining company being prosecuted over the death of a young woman at a Murchison site has pleaded guilty and faces a maximum penalty of a $1.5 million fine. Paige Taylor Counsell, 25, died on December 15, 2020 when she was struck by an underground mining vehicle at Westgold Resources’ Big Bell mine near Cue. Ms Counsell, a Perth fly-in, fly-out worker was employed by Westgold’s mining services subsidiary Minterra. WorkSafe launched a prosecution against Westgold in 2023, charging the company with contravening the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and in “doing so committed an offence as they failed to do their duties”. The company had intended to go to trial, but pleaded guilty to the charge in Perth Magistrates Court on April 15, with the trial dates vacated. A WorkSafe spokesperson said Westgold would be liable for a “level two penalty” under the Act, which carries a maximum potential fine of $1.5m. After the incident, the company confirmed Ms Counsell died on the way to Perth while being transported by the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The company gradually returned to normal operations to give workers the chance to receive counselling and feel comfortable returning to work. Westgold managing director Wayne Bramwell previously said the fatality had impacted everyone at the company. He said the company remained in close contact with Ms Counsell’s family. “Since this time our safety culture has been transformed and this has been key to our operational turnaround,” he said. Sentencing has been set down for July 9 in Perth Magistrates Court.