Missing landlady brought to justice after fire safety breaches
A former landlady has finally been brought to justice for breaching fire regulations – after courts issued a warrant for her arrest.
Eleanor Corcoran pleaded guilty to nine offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 at North Wiltshire Magistrates’ Court on 19 October.
She was ordered to pay £250 in court costs and given an 18 month discharge for fire safety breaches found at Little George pub in Chippenham, in 2008. The breaches related to screwing shut fire exit doors, obstructing fire exit routes, failures to mitigate the risk of fire, propping open fire doors and failing maintain the fire and emergency lighting systems.
It comes after a conviction earlier this year against the tenant company for the Little George, Publicana. In February, Publicana pleaded guilty to four charges and was ordered to pay £15,000. Ms Corcoran could not be located at the time.
The offences came to light after Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service attended an incident at the pub on 5 October 2008. Fire safety officers found the management company guilty of failing to undertake a fire risk assessment and provide sufficient facilities and training. It also failed to provide “suitable and sufficient information to sub-contractors,” the court found.
Group manager, Julian Parsons of Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service’s technical fire safety department, said: “The fire precautions for the building had been badly compromised and it was fortunate we discovered the offences before there had been a fire. If this hadn’t been the case then the occupants almost certainly would have been trapped and been at risk of death or serious injury.”
He added: “Since these offences came to light, the Little George pub has changed management and subsequent inspections have shown that the issues highlighted by this case have been addressed.”
