A COMPANY director has admitted health and safety breaches after a factory worker was scalped in an industrial accident.

Paul Carney, from Woolston, was due to stand trial at Liverpool Crown Court this week to face the charges.

But on Monday, June 10, the 50-year-old pleaded guilty to two health and safety offences over the incident at Cheshire Mouldings and Woodturnings Limited in St Helens – of which he is a director – in June 2016.

Employee Karolina Lubieniecka was scalped when her hair became caught in a machine, as well as losing an ear and a thumb.

She was also left visually-impaired after being injured while working on a production line at the factory – which produces timber stair parts, balustrades, decking, flooring and mouldings.

Cheshire Mouldings and Woodturnings Limited had previous admitted health and safety breaches during an earlier court hearing.

The company and Carney, of Springburn Gardens, will be sentenced back at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday, July 2.

This accident had come only two years after another woman working in the same factory had three fingers sliced off in a horrific training accident.

In October 2014, Lenka Toperczer suffered the life-changing injuries during her first training session.

Her right hand was hit by rotating blades while being shown how to operate an inadequately guarded machine, with the middle finger on her left hand also being amputated.

Cheshire Mouldings and Woodturnings Limited was fined more than £350,000 over the incident in November 2017.

The company was also fined in 2001 and 2004 over workers suffering injuries during accident at the factory.