Camden Council fined over wall collapse which killed 2 year-old

Friday February 4, 2011

THE Town Hall has been ordered to pay £137,000 in the health and safety case relating to the death of little Saurav Ghai.

The two year old from Belsize Park was crushed under a council estate wall in Southampton Road, Gospel Oak in January 2007. Camden was found to have not checked the wall properly after it was repaired ten years earlier by sub-contractors and not taken sufficient action when a similar wall nearby was blown over in 2002.

Judge Deborah Taylor handed down a fine of £90,000 at Southwark Crown Court this morning but added that there would be a 20 percent reduction because of the council's guilty plea. Camden will also have to pay £65,000 in legal costs.

She told the court the penalty was not aimed at valuing Saurav's life in financial terms. She added that the council had fallen 'significantly below' the standard expected of it.

The case was brought by the Health and Safety Executive. Investigator Michael La Rose said: "

Michael Le Rose, a health and safety inspector, said on behalf of the family: “Sauruv Ghai should have been able to walk down the street without his life being put at risk. Tragically this was not the case and his parents now face life without their son because the London Borough of Camden simply failed to maintain a wall which was in poor condition. This tragic incident should serve as a reminder to all organisations to keep their building stock safe including boundary walls.”

For full coverage see Thursday's Camden New Journal