JJB prosecuted in London

[messy]

A leading sports retailer has been ordered to pay £23,550 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to breaches of fire safety legislation.

Hendon Magistrates' Court fined JJB Sports PLC, £17,400 for six breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

The London Fire Brigade investigated the premises at Friern Bridge Retail Park, N11 on the 19 December 2007 and found a number of contraventions. These included fire escapes which were locked or partially blocked by the store’s stock, and a fire extinguisher that was discovered empty.

At the proceedings, held on the 3 July, the Judge concluded that the breaches were very serious and also took into account a previous enforcement notice which was issued in relation to the same premises on the 6 December 2005.

In mitigation the defence submitted that the failings were not representative of JJB but of mismanagement within this branch. The Judge also noted that the guilty plea, subsequent fire training undertaken and appearance of senior JJB staff should all be taken into consideration when deciding the fine.

Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety Regulation Max Hood said: “It is important that business owners and employers understand that they must take responsibility for fire safety very seriously within their properties. I would like to thank the inspecting officers and our legal team for their hard work in bringing forward this conviction.”

[Chris Houston]

Again, great news on another prosecution.  But to put this in the context of how much this will have focused their bean counter's minds.  Their annual income runs at £46.8 million.  When they got done for price fixing of shirts in 2003, they were fined £8.3 million.  If it were a person, his previous criminal activity would have been taken into account before sentencing.

[Tom W]

Sandwell Borough Council Vs JJB

The prosecution related to the Company’s store at Crown Wharf, Walsall. In December 2006, Fire Safety Officers from Wolverhampton Fire Safety Centre were checking retail premises when they noticed a fire door at the rear of the Company’s premises was obstructed by waste packaging and empty pallets. The Officers attended the premises and a full inspection of the premises revealed a number of breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Five summonses were issued alleging failures such as failing to ensure safety of employees by producing a suitable Fire Risk Assessment, failing to keep routes to emergency exits clear, allowing fire doors to be wedged open and allowing trip hazards to be present along fire exit routes. The Prosecution stated that the offences were aggravated by the fact that twelve months earlier a letter had been sent to the Defendant Company warning that similar breaches had been identified at the same store.

The Defendant argued that the breaches were in no way representative of the way in which it conducted its undertakings and pointed to a complete absence of previous convictions in respect of fire safety issues; the plea was entered on the basis that the events were the result of an individual’s error rather than a systemic failure. The basis of plea highlighted the fact that steps were taken almost immediately to remedy the breaches and that the various matters referred to in the charges had been present only for a short time and occurred as a result of a large delivery being made at a time of staff shortages.

The Defendant Company, with pre tax profits in the region of £39m for the previous financial year, was fined between £1,000 and £2,500 for each of the five charges, resulting in a total fine of £8,000. The Company was ordered to pay £1,999.67 in costs and was given 28 days to pay.

http://newsweaver.co.uk/crownoffice/e_article001029560.cfm?x=b11,0,w