A former Boeing employee, who was found dead in March, accused the company of “countless” violations of US law in testimony given just before his death.

John Barnett claimed the firm tried to “eliminate” quality inspections at a plant that makes 787 planes.

The former quality control manager had been giving a formal legal deposition against the plane manufacturer.

The transcript of Mr Barnett’s deposition has now been released by his lawyers. The lengthy document runs to more than 140 pages.

The bulk of Mr Barnett’s deposition focuses on the period from 2010 onwards, after he had moved from Boeing’s facility in Everett, Washington to what was then a brand-new factory in North Charleston.