A building site supervisor broke down today when recalling the moment a 16-year-old apprentice under his watch fell to his death on a building site.

Andrew Voy, 35, denies manslaughter by gross negligence after Alfie Perrin slipped from scaffolding at a site in Camden Road, Wanstead, in November 2012.

Alfie was five foot seven inches tall, weighing just eight and a half stone, and had been tasked with clearing rubbish by Mr Voy – a decision he said he later regretted.

Speaking at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Oliver Glasgow, prosecuting, asked Mr Voy if he felt Alfie “tried to impress” him with the “speed he worked at”.

But Mr Voy denied this claim and said: “I can confirm what I said to him.

“I said I do not care how long something takes but I will moan about how well you do it and how much care you take.”

Mr Voy confirmed this was something he tells all the apprentices who have worked under him.

Alfie fell to his death when throwing – or bombing as it was known in the industry – a second rubbish bag into the skip below.

Even though many companies ban bombing, the practice was still prevalent at Roof Top Rooms, the company for which Mr Voy worked for, when Alfie died.

“It was the way everybody threw away their rubbish,” said Mr Voy. “It was the way everybody at Roof Top Rooms did it. It was common practice.”

Mr Glasgow pointed out the “obvious dangers” connected with the practice, to which Mr Voy agreed.

“You do not need a health and safety course to accept those dangers,” said Mr Glasgow.

Mr Voy said: “No.”

Minutes later Mr Voy broke down in the dock when Mr Glasgow questioned how he could be sure Alfie had only thrown one bag from scaffolding.

Judge Martyn Zeidman QC called a 15 minute break when Mr Voy admitted he could not be sure.

The trial continues.