24/06/2010 - New Look fire fine appeal rejected
The Court of Appeal has dismissed high street retailer New Look's appeal against its record £400,000 fine for fire safety breaches at its Oxford Street store.
A serious fire tore through the premises in London on April 26, 2007, prompting the London Fire Brigade to prosecute New Look in November 2009.
The fire alarm did sound, but it was reset at least once.
During the incident there were more than 450 people evacuated from the store and the surrounding premises.
It has never been discovered how the fire started.
After pleading guilty to serious breaches to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (the RRO) the retailer was fined £400,000 and ordered to pay £136,052 in costs.
Not enough merit had been given by the sentencing judge HHJ Rivlin to the fact that neither individually nor cumulatively were the breaches of duty linked to the cause of the fire, nor did the fire cause injury or death, New Look argued in the appeal.
A higher presumed standard of seriousness to breaches of fire safety responsibilities was applied by the sentencing judge than he would for breaches of duty towards employees and visitors under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. These submissions were rejected.
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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