14 July 2023 , 18:08
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The heartbroken mother of "a beautiful little soul" who died after being electrocuted in a pub garden has demanded the hospitality sector to make sure its equipment is safe.
Harvey Tyrrell, seven, suffered an electric shock after touching unsafe lighting in the beer garden of a pub in Harold Wood, east London. The owner of the King Harold Pub, David Bearmen, pleaded guilty to Harvey’s manslaughter and to stealing electricity from an unmetered supply and was jailed for nine years in 2021. Electrician Chris Naylor was also jailed.
Danielle Jones, Harvey's mother, wants pubs, restaurants, and other venues to ensure electrical installations and equipment used in outdoor spaces are safe this summer.
Harvey, aged seven, was electrocuted in a beer garden (SWNS)
The youngster, pictured with Danielle and dad Lewis, was described as 'a beautiful little soul' (Phil Harris)Speaking to My London, the 34-year-old woman said: "People who run pubs and other hospitality venues should regularly check their electrics, especially as pub beer gardens are getting busier at this time of the year. I'm still hearing of other incidents involving unsafe electrics in pubs and this needs to stop – I don't want any other family to go through what happened to us.
"Harvey was such a beautiful little soul, a cheeky chappie and one of a kind and what sadly happened to him could have been prevented."
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Naylor, 74, who is said to have installed the faulty lighting, is the brother-in-law of Bearmen, and was jailed for a year after he was found guilty of failing to discharge a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act following a trial. Harvey had touched the dodgy electrics while playing in the beer garden and sadly died from the electric shock.
David Bearman, the owner of the pub in London, was jailed for nine years in 2021 (central news)Great Britain’s workplace regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), is working with the hospitality industry and local authority enforcement officers to increase awareness of safety standards. HSE says venues should arrange for a competent person to carry out electrical installation work, only using lights and heaters specifically designed for outdoor use, and regularly checking equipment for damage or water ingress.
The fixed installation and electrical appliances should be maintained in accordance with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. Mark Dawson, HSE’s Head of local authority and safety unit, said: "The hospitality sector will be looking forward to a busy summer period. Those responsible for outdoor spaces need to make sure electrical equipment is in good condition, safe to use and regularly checked."