Councillor Lesley Kelly, cabinet member with responsibility for public protection at Havering Council, said: "This was an avoidable accident and I am pleased that the shopping centre are going to make the escalator safe.
"We will take action where public safety is at risk."
And do you feel that public protection in Havering is best served by ensuring that, no matter how negligent people are, accidents that then happen to them are not only someone else's
fault, but someone else's
money will then be confiscated from them as well?
A statement from Savills read: "On October 8, 2009, a 12-year-old boy suffered personal injuries after falling from the outside of the escalator located within the complex. The boy had been holding on to the handrail of the escalator and riding up its outer side as part of a game of dare.
"Security personnel were quickly on the scene and he was taken to hospital by ambulance.
"Following the incident, proceedings were brought against SCL by the London Borough of Havering.
"It was alleged that the company had failed to take sufficient measures to prevent access by children to the outside of the escalator.
"The allegations were denied on the grounds that the company did not have a duty to protect against risks arising from the deliberate misuse of the escalator and reasonably practicable steps had been taken to ensure the safety of those using the escalator, to include a deflector shield which the boy deliberately navigated around.
"There was no question that the escalator was perfectly safe when used sensibly and properly by members of the public.
"SCL has a great deal of sympathy for the boy's injuries, however, the judgment comes as a huge disappointment given the company's excellent health and safety record and the unusual circumstances of this case.
"SCL is lodging an appeal against the decision."
I hope they win.
