Restaurant owner fined £60,000 after man killed by faulty electrics 

A Croydon business owner and her company have been convicted of four health and safety offences after a death by electrocution on their premises.

Sukran Sanli, who owns Adams Café Restaurant Limited at 152 London Road, and her company, were ordered to pay a total of £60,303 in fines and costs. 

Ms Sanli also received a 26-week suspended prison sentence and was ordered to undertake 200 unpaid days of work as a Community Penalty when she appeared at Croydon Magistrates Court on March 20.

The prosecution arose when Croydon council’s Food and Safety Team investigated the death by electrocution of Mustafa Ozbek on January 21, 2020, who was living in a room at the rear of the café premises.

Ms Sanli had paid for general electrical work to be carried out on the premises by an unqualified electrician in 2016 and again in 2019, four months before the fatal incident.

Mr Ozbek’s electrocution occurred because there was no main earth connection to the incoming electrical supply, and when a fault occurred on a circuit, the fuse did not operate to trip and cut off the electricity. 

This caused the metal pipework in the shower room to become live with a dangerous voltage which resulted in his death.

Ms Sanli pleaded guilty to four charges, two against her and two against her company.

Jason Perry, Mayor of Croydon, 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.”

Pictured Top: Adams Café Restaurant Limited (Picture: Google Street View)