Audio By Carbonatix
Tesco has been fined more than £500,000 after a 10-year-old child was electrocuted by a freezer unit.
The child suffered a small burn, chest and leg pains after they reached to get an ice lolly from the freezer at a store in Warfield, Bracknell.
The Public Protection Service said a live wire had become damaged and exposed and was sticking out under a rail on the freezer.
Tesco fined £500,000 after child electrocutedhttps://t.co/Rulf5PzbLx
— BBC South (@BBCSouthNews) December 18, 2020
The supermarket giant pleaded guilty to two health and safety offences.
It was fined £268,000 for each offence at Reading Magistrates Court.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service said an investigation found the incident in July 2017 happened after staff failed to fix an issue with the electrical supply to a glass heating element under a handrail on the front of the freezer.
Subsequent reviews of records showed the freezer's rail was known to be loose and had temporary fixes of glue or tape months prior to the accident.
Councillor John Harrison, head of public protection at Bracknell Forest Council, said the investigation "revealed significant breaches of health and safety legislation".
Tesco was sentenced on Tuesday and ordered to pay costs of £25,750.91.
Latest Stories
-
Government, miners sign GANRAP agreement to support gold-based reserve accumulation
22 minutes -
Stephen Nii Narku Adumuah
23 minutes -
Palestinians told to leave homes in village where Israeli settlers besieged houses
24 minutes -
Ebola outbreak on track to be deadliest ever, WHO chief says
28 minutes -
Air India to test all pilots for banned substances
28 minutes -
Ghana is going digital, but are Ghanaians building the technology?
1 hour -
Mazda Demio catches fire during welding work in Suhum
1 hour -
GCB Bank denies robbery at Labone branch, assures customers of safety
2 hours -
30 new E-blocks to target high-population areas under Star J Project – Mahama
2 hours -
Kingsley Agyemang denies scholarship corruption allegations, says investigations will vindicate him
2 hours -
Mahama promises to complete Upper East Airport within 24 months
2 hours -
Mahama allocates funds to complete 35 Agenda 111 hospitals this year
2 hours -
We will finish abandoned E-Blocks to end waste of taxpayers’ money – Mahama
2 hours -
Civil Service must drive investment, jobs under Reset Agenda – 24-Hour Economy Secretariat
2 hours -
Deloitte West Africa to anchor Africa Oil Week 2026 in Accra, reinforcing commitment to Africa’s energy future
2 hours