Company Director Sentenced for Fire Safety Breaches in Worthing

A company director has been sentenced after admitting to multiple breaches of fire safety regulations at a high-rise residential building in Worthing, placing residents at risk.

Anthony Coates, from Walton-on-the-Naze in Essex, was prosecuted by West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service for failing to ensure proper fire safety measures were in place at Columbia House, Romany Road. The offences, which occurred in 2022, resulted in residents moving into the building before escape routes had been signed off as compliant.

The court heard that a fire safety inspector, passing by the site, noticed vehicles in the residents’ car park, prompting an investigation. It was discovered that approximately 30 people had been allowed to move in before the building met required fire safety standards. The breaches undermined the fire safety strategy, increasing the risk of serious injury or death in the event of a fire.

On Friday, March 14, Coates was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid community work and fined £1,000. West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service welcomed the ruling, stressing that the case served as a warning to those responsible for building safety compliance.