The landlord of a Leeds cellar 'flat' "unsuitable for human habitation," where a fire resulted in the death of a man, has been jailed for breaching health and safety regulations.
Philip Sheridan, 36, died of injuries suffered in a major flat fire in the unofficially converted basement, dubbed "unsuitable for human habitation," where he lived in Berkeley Grove, Harehills.
Harrowing photos of the scene show the oven where the fire started and the door that Mr Sheridan struggled to escape through. The cellar had only had one entrance – through an inward-opening door that did not have a proper handle on it, and was partially blocked by the oven, which was the source of the fire.
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The fire broke out on June 26, 2019, and Mr Sheridan died on July 6, 2019, as a result of complications arising from severe smoke inhalation.
Landlord, Humrazz Shahid, 43, appeared before Leeds Crown Court for sentencing today and was given an immediate 13-month prison term. Shahid of Oakwood Lane, Leeds, had earlier admitted the offence of failing to discharge a duty owed under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
After the incident, both the fire service and local authority concluded that the converted cellar in a mid-terraced house was unfit for human habitation, due in part to the inadequacy of the fire detection and escape measures, the court was told.
The cellar had only had one entrance – through an inward-opening door that did not have a proper handle on it. That door was partially blocked by the oven, which was the source of the fire. The court also heard that there was no smoke or fire alarm fitted in the property at the time.
Though Shahid was not the owner of the property, he had the authority to deal with its management and had done so since 2008. He was shown as the landlord on the tenancy agreement he signed with Mr Sheridan in August 2013, and Mr Sheridan’s housing benefit was paid directly into Shahid’s bank account.
Mr Sheridan did manage to escape from the property on his own, but in doing so suffered burns to the back of his head, upper torso, neck and arms, which were consistent with him having to lean back over the oven, which was on fire.
He collapsed on the pavement outside the address and was transferred to hospital where he remained until his death.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Superintendent Marc Bowes, of West Yorkshire Police, said: “The death of Philip Sheridan in these circumstances was an absolute tragedy, but one that was entirely avoidable had Shahid taken his responsibilities to ensure a safe living environment seriously.
“We worked closely with Leeds City Council to bring this successful prosecution, and we hope that seeing Shahid held accountable for his flagrant breach of the regulations will serve as a clear reminder to other landlords and property managers who fail to meet their legal obligations to put the safety of their tenants first.”
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