A restaurant owner has been fined more than £60,000 after her lodger tragically died from being electrocuted in the shower.
Mustafa Ozbek, 55, died when metal pipework in the bathroom became 'live' with high voltages of electricity due to dodgy electrics at Sukran Sanli's café.
A court heard Sanli had paid for electrical work to be carried out on two occasions by an 'unqualified' electrician in the years preceding the fatal incident.
The 48-year-old, who runs the Adams Café Restaurant Limited in Croydon, south London, was handed a suspended sentence of 26 weeks and ordered to pay £60,303 in fines and costs.
She admitted four offences contravening Health and Safety laws after Mr Ozbek died of electrocution on her company's premises.
The offences arose after Croydon Council’s Food and Safety Team launched an investigation into Mr Ozbek's death in January 2020.
He had been living in a room at the rear of the café.
Adams Café is described online as being a 'welcoming and friendly cafe with big breakfasts at great value'.
Croydon Magistrates' Court heard Sanli had paid for electrical work to be carried out at the premises on two occasions, in 2016 and 2019 - four months before Mr Ozbek's death.
The court was told the work had been carried out by an 'unqualified' electrician, and Mr Ozbek's fatal electrocution occurred due to issues with the faulty electrics.
There was said to have been no 'main earth connection' to the incoming electrical supply.
As a result of this, when a fault occurred on the circuit, the fuse did not operate to trip and cut off the electricity.
This caused metal pipework in the shower room to become 'live' with a dangerously high voltage - which ultimately killed Mr Ozbek.
Croydon Council’s investigation centred on the responsibility for the safe provision of the electricity supply to the premises.
The Food and Safety Team arranged for two HSE Specialist Inspectors to visit the premises and prepare a report on the electricity system.
They also had a competent electrical contractor carry out a full inspection of the electrical installation.
The overall assessment was ‘unsatisfactory’ with a number of items being identified as ‘potentially dangerous’.
Sanli pleaded guilty to four charges - two against her and two against her company - relating to offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Executive Mayor of Croydon, Jason Perry, said the 'tragic' incident could have been avoided.
"We will always seek the toughest penalties against business and property owners who endanger the lives of others through careless disregard for health and safety law," he said.
"This is a tragic incident that could have been avoided.
"We hope that this very sad case serves as a stark warning to others, to make sure they are fulfilling their duties under the legislation and that all works are carried out by a qualified tradesperson, to avoid putting others at risk."
Sanli was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work as a Community Penalty, as well as being fined £60,303 and receiving a suspended prison term of 26 weeks.
