In 2019, we shared the heartbreaking story of 8-year-old Harvey Tyrrell, who lost his life after being electrocuted in the back garden of the King Harold Pub in Romford. In April 2021, the case was finally settled in court, and ever since, the pub’s owner has faced the consequences of his energy theft.
What Happened to Harvey Tyrrell?
When little Harvey Tyrrell climbed the pub garden wall to retrieve his football, no one could have imagined the tragic outcome. At first, it was thought that he’d suffered a head injury, but the post-mortem revealed the devastating truth: Harvey had been fatally electrocuted due to unsafe lighting in the pub beer garden.
Harvey’s Tyrrell’s mother, Danielle Jones, described her unbearable grief: “We never thought that we’d go for dinner as a family of three and then come home without our son. Our lives will never be the same.”
Pub Owner and Electrician Sentenced
An inspection of the pub following Harvey Tyrrell’s death uncovered horrific findings – 12 serious electrical defects that posed a risk of injury, including electric shock, along with 32 other potentially dangerous defects. One expert called it “the most dangerous thing [I’ve] ever seen in 40 years.”
The pub owner, 73-year-old David Bearman, had even suffered an electric shock himself in the basement back in May 2018. But despite that, he never took action to fix the multiple electrical hazards. In court, the judge described the pub as a “ticking time bomb.”
On April 15, 2021, Bearman was jailed for the electrocution of the boy. He’s currently serving nine years after pleading guilty to gross negligence manslaughter and stealing electricity from an unmetered supply.
Colin Naylor, Bearman’s brother-in-law, was cleared of manslaughter and spared jail for Harvey’s electrocution but spent a year behind bars after being found guilty of failing to discharge a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
A qualified engineer, Naylor had regularly worked on the pub’s electrics, but the wiring he installed in June 2018—just three months before Harvey Tyrrell’s death—had “significant defects,” including inadequate insulation to prevent water from getting inside.
Calls for Stronger Pub Safety Regulations
Since Harvey Tyrrell’s death, his mother continues to push for annual electrical safety inspections in pubs, instead of the current five-year requirement. In 2021, she launched a petition around electrical safety in pubs, which has since gained over 50,000 signatures.
She also shared a chilling conversation with another mother, whose two-year-old son had recently received an electric shock from outdoor lighting at a different pub. Speaking to the BBC, she said, “If they haven’t got that [annual safety inspection] in place, they shouldn’t be allowed to open.”
Despite her efforts, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (now known as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) [AB1] stated that while all pub safety regulations in the UK are “under review,” there are no current plans to change them to ensure electrical safety in pubs.
How to Prevent Electrical Hazards in Commercial Spaces
In the UK, electrical installation regulations exist to keep people safe and prevent avoidable deaths. These include:
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 – Places a legal duty on employers, employees, and the self-employed to ensure workplace safety, including electrical installations.
- Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 – Requires electrical systems to be properly maintained to prevent hazards.
- BS 7671 (18th Edition) IET Wiring Regulations – A detailed set of guidelines that electricians and other professionals must follow when installing or modifying electrical systems.
With these electrical installation regulations in place, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Britain’s national workplace regulator, says pubs, restaurants, and hospitality venues should:
- Use a qualified electrician for all electrical work.
- Only use lighting and heating equipment specifically designed for outdoor use to ensure beer garden safety.
- Regularly check equipment for damage or water ingress.
Despite these UK pub safety regulations, every year, hundreds of innocent lives – just like Harvey Tyrrell’s – are risked because of energy theft and dodgy electrical work.
Some business owners try to cut corners—either by stealing electricity to save money or attempting DIY fixes instead of hiring a professional. But tampering with an electricity meter is illegal and puts you and everyone in the vicinity at risk of injury or death.
Ms Jones urged pubs, restaurants, and other hospitality venues to focus on beer garden safety ahead of the busy summer season. “I’m still hearing of other incidents involving unsafe electrics in pubs and this needs to stop,” she said. “I don’t want any other family to go through what happened to us.”
You can help prevent tragedies like this from happening again by reporting any suspicions of electricity theft, meter tampering, or unsafe electrical work as a result of energy theft to Stay Energy Safe. You will remain 100% anonymous when you tell us what you know, and the information you pass on could help save lives.