George Andrew Stephen, 60, from Mulben, Keith was a self-employed farmer. He died in an Aberdeen hospital on 14 January 2021 after being struck by a falling hay bale at Shalloc Farm on 27 November 2020.
Garry George Thomson, 58, of Woodtown Farm, Rothienorman was also a self-employed farmer. He died at the farm on 27 July 2025 after being struck by a falling hay bale.
A Preliminary Hearing will be held on 25 June at Banff Sheriff Court.
The purpose of a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) includes determining the cause of death; the circumstances in which the death occurred, and to establish what, if any, reasonable precautions could have been taken, and could be implemented in the future, to minimise the risk of future deaths in similar circumstances.
Unlike criminal proceedings, FAIs are inquisitorial in nature, and are used to establish facts rather than to apportion blame.
Debbie Carroll of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Scotland’s death investigation authority, said:
“The Lord Advocate considers that the deaths of George Andrew Stephen and Garry George Thomson occurred in similar circumstances while working with hay bales.
“Although the deaths occurred in separate incidents, there are sufficient common features between the circumstances of their deaths to hold a single FAI. Hearing the matters together under the direction of the Sheriff will allow the effective examination of any shared issues and identify lessons for the future.
“The families will continue to be kept informed of significant developments as court proceedings progress.”
Further information
The legislation governing FAI enables the Lord Advocate to direct a single inquiry to investigate multiple deaths if they share common circumstances, aiming to identify systemic issues and prevent future fatalities.
For more information on Fatal Accident Inquiries, see the Crown’s guide.