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The owner of a dilapidated Blackpool hotel has been jailed for 18 months and ordered to pay £5,243 in costs after being found guilty of 15 breaches of fire safety law.
During the sentencing hearing, the Preston Crown Court heard the hotel was “a death trap”, and even though it had already been shut down following breaches of food hygiene and fire safety regulations, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service discovered that four tenants were still resident, paying £50 a week.
The front entrance was the only fire exit that had not been nailed or chained shut, or blocked with broken beds or other obstacles, yet it was flanked by gas cylinders and faulty electrical wiring.
When fire officers came to inspect the building, Metcalf threatened them with legal action, presenting them with what appeared to be “homemade writs”.
In his sentencing remarks, judge Anthony Russell told Metcalf: “Attempts to speak to you had been made but you had been obstructive and threatened legal action. It appears your attitude was that people living there were grown adult and if they did not know the situation that was their problem.”
Dave Russel, assistant chief fire officer, said: “This is the longest custodial sentence handed out by a court since this offence was introduced seven years ago. There is no doubt that had there been a fire in the hotel, people would have been seriously injured or killed.”
