Shopping centre fined £75,000 after customer's toe is CHOPPED OFF by escalator

Michael Reddington, 27

Michael Reddington's foot was crushed in Nottingham's West End Arcade

Michael Reddington got his foot trapped in an escalator, which chopped off his toe SWNS:South West News Service
A SHOPPING centre has been fined £75,000 after a customer got his foot trapped in an escalator – which chopped off his big TOE.

Michael Reddington, 27, visited the West End Arcade in Nottingham on March 15, 2012, to pick up a mobile phone.

The sound engineer got on an escalator and unknowingly placed his left foot inside a missing part of one of the steps which he had not spotted due to poor lighting.

When it reached the top his foot was horrifically crushed between the step and the escalator platform, causing blood to "spurt everywhere."

A court heard the machine continued to run for a few minutes, amputating his big toe, fracturing his second and third toes and cutting and grazing a fourth.

Members of the public and business owners rushed to his aid and he was later freed by firefighters and rushed to hospital for emergency surgery

Michael had his digit lobbed off by the escalator SWNS:South West News Service
Today shopping centre managing agents Hodgson Elkington LLP were fined £75,000 after they pleaded guilty to health and safety breaches.

Bosses admitted charges of exposing people to risk by failing to maintain the escalator in the arcade properly and in a safe condition.

Nottingham Crown Court heard the machine had not been inspected between October 2010 and the accident in March 2012.

It also admitted that systems to monitor safety on a daily basis were ineffective after the court heard the missing part of the escalator had been absent for at least 24 hours.

The company was also ordered to pay £50,000 in court costs and Mr Reddington is now in line for a massive compensation payout, which will be determined at a later hearing.

The sound engineer got on an escalator and unknowingly placed his left foot inside a missing part of one of the steps SWNS:South West News Service
Judge Andrew Hamilton, said: "Mr Reddington's injury was truly traumatic and life-changing.

"This company seems to have perhaps forgotten its job is not to simply to collect rents from the tenants but to ensure the safety of the public.

"This is an extremely serious incident and involves a member of the public.

"It could have indeed been a much more serious injury; one only has to contemplate someone's leg going up there or it being a child, then the injury could have been much more serious."

Bernard Thorogood, prosecuting, said: "There was a real potential for a much more serious if not fatal injury.

"The public were at risk. It was a matter of pure chance whose foot or leg went into that gap."

Tom Gent, defending, said: "The incident is a matter of significant embarrassment to the company.

"They are truly sorry for the dreadful injuries that were caused to Michael Reddington and are extremely apologetic that this was allowed to happen."

The faulty escalator which chopped off Michael's toe SWNS:South West News Service
Mr Reddington, of, Nottingham, had to learn to walk again after the horror incident and is still racked by pain almost four years later.

He was forced to give up his job and now works as an electrician.

Speaking after the incident, he said: "That day in March 2012 will be with me forever. It was like something out of a horror film.

"My toe was gone, there was blood everywhere, there was bone sticking out, there was flesh all over.

"There was blood all over the escalators. People were running off crying and some people nearly fainted.

"Doctors told me I could keep my toe but it could die on my foot and cause gangrene and I could lose my leg, so I told them to throw it.

"It was life-changing. I have been in limbo for the last four years and I do feel like my life has been put on hold while I waited for the outcome.

"The escalator mangled two of my toes and one so badly that it was ripped off at the scene of the accident. I was left bed-bound and couldn't return to work for three months.

"It has taken a long time for me to come to terms with what happened and I still have flashbacks to that day."

The shoe Michael was wearing at the time of the horror incident SWNS:South West News Service
Mr Reddington brought his case for damages against the firm following an investigation by environmental health officers at Nottingham City Council.

Lisa Preece, partner at Nelsons Solicitors which acted on behalf of Mr Reddington, said after the case: "Today is a momentous day for my client who has had to wait for several years to find out whether the company responsible for the loss of his toe will have to compensate him.

"They only admitted liability last week, so it has been a very stressful experience for Michael.

"He is a young, active and athletic person who loved playing football and exercising. Following the incident, Michael's life changed drastically.

"He wanted to make sure that the business was held to account for what happened and to make sure that no one else suffered a similar fate while visiting West End."

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