Arcadia was diligent over fatal Topshop barrier, court hears

The owners of Topshop acted "diligently" over the installation of a queue barrier that toppled over and killed a boy, a court has heard.

Kaden Reddick suffered a fatal head injury at the store in Reading during a family shopping trip in 2017.

Arcadia Group, Topshop/Topman and barrier manufacturer Realm Projects deny failing to discharge a health and safety duty.

Arcadia's defence counsel said the blame laid with the shopfitters.

The trial at Reading Crown Court previously heard the barrier was installed between 2013 and 2014, during a major store refit.

The plinth supporting the barrier at Topshop, in Reading's Oracle shopping centre, had only been fixed to the floor with two narrow screws and the "wobbly" barrier fell on Kaden, prosecutors said.

Stoneforce Ltd, which was contracted to fit the barriers, has pleaded guilty to failing to discharge a health and safety duty.

Summing up, defence counsel representing Arcadia said Stoneforce "were the true culprits".

"They installed the barriers which were wholly inadequate in terms of their fixings," the defence counsel added.

"If they had installed them properly the accident would never have happened.

"Arcadia were diligent - they sought the right expertise. They fully expected professional shopfitters to make the right decisions.

"Arcadia is a clothing retailer - you don't judge them on what would be expected of an engineering company," the defence said.

The defence accused the prosecution of relying on "accumulated hindsight".

"No-one at the time doubted their [Stoneforce's] competence. Arcadia took reasonable steps to appoint a competent contractor."

Earlier in the trial, defence barrister Austin Stoton, representing Realm Projects, told the jury the company had "nothing to do" with the case.

"It's a long time between when the construction took place and their [barriers] installation and the tragedy which took place in 2017," he said.

The barrister said the barrier itself did not fail and had been suitably constructed to meet requirements.

The company "certainly didn't maintain them" or have any ongoing involvement, he said.

The trial continues.

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