Tesco fined £500,000 over child's electric shock in Bracknell store

Tesco has been fined more than £500,000 after a 10-year-old child was given an electric shock by a freezer unit.

The child suffered a small burn, chest and leg pains after they reached to get an ice lolly from the unit at a store in Warfield, Bracknell.

The Public Protection Service said a live wire, which was sticking out under a rail on the freezer, had become damaged and exposed.

The supermarket giant pleaded guilty to two health and safety offences.

It was fined £268,000 for each offence at Reading Magistrates' Court.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said an investigation found the incident in July 2017 happened after staff failed to fix an issue with the electrical supply to a glass heating element under a handrail on the front of the freezer. 

Subsequent reviews of records showed the freezer's rail was known to be loose and had temporary fixes of glue or tape months prior to the accident.

Councillor John Harrison, head of public protection at Bracknell Forest Council, said the investigation "revealed significant breaches of health and safety legislation".

Tesco was sentenced on Tuesday and ordered to pay costs of £25,750.91.