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Bookmakers fined £12,000 following Southend raids

6:21pm Friday 3rd September 2010 in


A BOOKIES has been fined £12,000 for failing to protect its staff after a manager was attacked with a Samurai sword during an armed raid.

Relief shop manager Martin Walker suffered serious facial injuries during the robbery at the Coral bookmakers in Woodgrange Drive, Southend on December 18, 2008.

The store was targeted two days earlier and again ten days later.

It prompted Southend Council health and safety officers to investigate the shop and resulted in charges being brought under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. At Southend Magistrates Court Coral Racing Ltd admitted a serious breach of the act - exposing staff members to work-related violence.

The company was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £6,170 costs.

Comments(5)

el caballero de la noche says...
9:20pm Fri 3 Sep 10

Interesting this case.

I know many other employees that are at the same risk level.

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Nebs says...
9:47pm Fri 3 Sep 10

They don't want you to win.

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APR says...
10:04pm Fri 3 Sep 10

Are they going to arm the staff ?

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soul man says...
6:59pm Sat 4 Sep 10

how in the hell can a firm implement a safety policy two days after a robbery, what are the staff going to do with a cranky git with a sword, this is nanny state gone mad, if one of the staff had a bat and clumped the robber, they themselves would be done by plod, its a no win scenario health and safety are **** through and through, lets see them deal with it, all hse workers are lazy toerags who cant do a days work themselves anyway

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wotsit says...
11:33am Sun 5 Sep 10

WTF, doesnt this bookies pay council tax and is therefore paying the police for protection. Its the old bill that should get it in the neck and not the shop. If they could put their tea down for a bit and do some actual work southend might be a bit safer.

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