A COVENTRY business and director has been fined following a customer accident resulting in significant injuries.
He has been fined a total of £17,683 and ordered to pay costs of £25,767.72 after pleading guilty to health and safety offences.
On February, 12 2022, a member of the public, visiting The Pilot, Burnaby Road went to find the toilets, but accidentally went through an unlocked staff door.
The person then walked through another door which led directly to a steep flight of stays down to an unused basement, they fell down the stairs and suffered injuries to their face and body which have continued to impact their life.
The Company, Pilot Entertainment Ltd (PEL) and Director, Mr Gulrez Akhter pleaded guilty to the charges at Birmingham Magistrates Court on the February, 23 2024 and sentencing took place on the May, 20 2024.
Pilot Entertainment was fined £16,750 and ordered to pay investigation costs of £12,883.85 and a victim surcharge of £1,670.00.
Mr Akhter, in his role as Company Director was separately fined £933.00, ordered to pay investigation costs of £12,883.85 and a victim surcharge of £93.00.
Coventry City Council food and safety team identified failings by the business in an investigation by officers.
PEL pleaded guilty to the failure of ensuring people not in it’s employment are not exposed to risks to their health or safety in relation to risks arising from the operation of The Pilot public house.
Mr Akhter pleaded guilty to the commission of that offence was attributable to the consent, connivance or were attributable to the neglect of the director.
The premises is no longer run by PEL and was taken over in April 2023 by another company.
Davina Blackburn, strategic lead for regulation at the Council, said: “This case highlights the importance of businesses taking health and safety seriously, and how simple control measures can have a big impact on keeping both staff and customers safe.
“It is important that businesses keep health and safety as a priority and seek further help to ensure they are meeting all legal requirements if necessary.
“In particular, pubs have a duty to ensure that their customers are not exposed to risk whilst using their establishments.”
