Young boy died after electrician was careless

HARVEY TYRRELL DIED when he was just seven years old. He died back in September 2018, at The King Harold pub in Station Road, Romford. A post mortem established that the cause of death was electrocution.

A police investigation established that young Harvey had been playing with a friend in the pub garden. He had sat on a light and touched a railing. He then received a fatal electric shock.

Police found that the light had been installed by Colin Naylor, 74, of Rayleigh three months earlier. Naylor claimed to have had 50 years’ experience as electrician and he had also carried out a significant amount of electrical maintenance work at the property. However, the light was inspected after the child died and it was found that the light had not been sufficiently earthed or insulated against water – and the casing, which Harvey touched, was live.

Last month Colin Naylor was found guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court of failing to discharge a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act.  He was also found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter. The pub’s owner, David Bearman, 73, of Ardleigh Green Road, Hornchurch pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter at the Old Bailey in March last year. Both of them were given bail after the verdicts and both are to attend Snaresbrook Crown Court, on a date yet to be fixed, for sentencing.

Detective Sergeant Andy McAlister said, “As a qualified electrician, Naylor had not only the ability, but also the responsibility, to ensure that the work he completed didn’t pose a risk to those visiting the venue. Expert examination of the electrical system identified a variety of modifications that were far below an acceptable safety standard. Naylor made it clear in his police interview that he did not think the safety of the electrical system as a whole was his responsibility. The decision he made to continue with the installation, regardless of the dangerous wiring already present, cost the life of an innocent child and has devastated a family.”

Speaking on behalf of Harvey’s family, his parents (Lewis Tyrrell and Danielle Jones) said, “After two and a half years of heartbreak since losing our beautiful baby boy Harvey, we are grateful to the jury for finding Colin Naylor guilty of the part he played in our precious son’s death. We are grateful to our community, the police and the prosecution team for all their support during our tragic ordeal. As a family we need some time to reflect on this outcome.”

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