Company fined for scalding bath death

Leicester-based care home provider Prime Life has been fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £49,000 costs for health and safety failings in the case of an 83-year-old resident who was scalded to death in a bath.

John Patrick Jones was found fully clothed in a bath of steaming water by staff at Brockshill Woodlands residential home, Oadby, Leicestershire, at 4am on 30 April, 2003. He had been seen in his room 20 minutes earlier.

An inquest jury in August 2004 said it was an accidental death, but neglect was a contributory factor. Earlier this year Prime Life admitted failing to assess the risk of scalding from hot water.

In a prosecution brought by Oadby and Wigston Council, Leicester Crown Court was told last week that it was impossible to determine how Jones came to be in the bath.

He suffered from angina, dementia, poor eyesight and mobility problems.

Following the case, Prime Life chair Peter Van Herrewege said that as a result of the case each of their care homes was being reassessed.