Weymouth hotel loses appeal over £200,000 fine after child injured by falling roof slate
A hotel has lost its appeal against a £200,000 fine after a three-year-old girl suffered a skull fracture when a roof slate fell during building works.
Last updated 25th Mar 2025
A three-year-old girl was seriously injured when a 1.5kg slate fell two storeys from the roof of Moonfleet Manor Hotel in Weymouth in June 2019. The hotel’s owner, LFH Moonfleet Manor Limited, was fined £200,000 in October 2023 and ordered to pay £143,000 in costs.
The company appealed the decision, arguing that the penalty was too high given its turnover. However, three judges dismissed the appeal earlier this month, ruling that the fine was “proportionate.”
Lord Justice Jeremy Baker, Mrs Justice McGowan, and Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke stated that the company had failed to “heed the warnings of others” before the accident.
Building work to replace the hotel’s slate roof began in February 2019. Rocare, the principal contractor, and Quadra, the principal designer, were also fined £160,000 and £60,000, respectively.
During site meetings, health and safety concerns were discussed, and in March 2019, hotel staff had to take “immediate action” to redirect guests to a safer route when scaffolding beams were being lifted to the roof.
The High Court upheld the original ruling, finding that the hotel had not taken sufficient precautions.