Hotel Fined £34,000 After RAF Airman Falls To His Death

A hotel has been fined after a Royal Air Force officer accidentally plunged 20ft to his death, just hours after celebrating a friend's wedding reception.

Sergeant Christopher James, 41, was found lying on the pavement by a motorist at around 4am on July 5, 2015.

The dad-of-two had travelled to a wedding at The White Lion hotel in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcs., the day before the fatal accident.

Emergency services rushed to the scene but he was pronounced dead from head injuries at 4.19am following the fall from the window, which did not have restrictors in place.

His wife, Deborah, 39, a teacher, was working at her school's fete the weekend of the wedding and described him as a "fun" husband who was "always smiling".

A post-mortem found that he had died from swelling of the brain and a traumatic brain injury, as well as a closed head injury with a skull base fracture.

In May 2016, an inquest jury ruled that he was not "overly drunk" and recorded a verdict of accidental death at Worcestershire Coroner's Court.

But on Friday, February 2, Jonathan, 61, and Christine Lear, 60, admitted to a breach of general duty on behalf of the partnership running the hotel.

They were handed fines of £34,000 and ordered to pay £49,000 costs at Worcester Crown Court.

Judge Nicholas Cole, sentencing, said:

“I take the view the prosecution were correct in describing the failure to include in a risk assessment any mention of falls from windows as a glaring omission.

"Had the question of the windows in the upper bedrooms been considered this would have been considered as an obvious risk and steps put in place."

In 2013 the hotel carried out a risk assessment, but, according to prosecutors, they failed to acknowledge the risks of falls from windows, especially older ones that did not have the restrictors.

Tory Councillor Bronwen Behan, responsible for Worcestershire Regulatory Services on Malvern Hills District Council, said afterwards:

“This is a very tragic case and our thoughts are with the family of Mr James.

"It highlights the importance to all businesses of ensuring their risk assessments are thorough.”