Family in licensee tragedy call for Tuppen to 'do the honourable thing and resign'
The family of licensee Paul John Lee, who died from carbon monoxide poisoning in his pub, has spoken out against Enterprise Inns boss Ted Tuppen.
In statement sent to The Publican today, the Lee family said: "Having read of Greg Mulholland's demands for Ted Tuppen to stand down over the carbon monoxide scandal that cost Paul's life, we would like to make the following comments:
"Enterprise Inn's attitude towards their tenants compromised safety and ultimately cost Paul his life.
"As chief executive of Enterprise Inns, Ted Tuppen is ultimately responsible for the actions of the company and we therefore fully support Mr Mulholland's demands for him to do the honourable thing and resign.
"Obviously nothing that Enterprise can do will bring Paul back, but the idea that an apology and a fine will suffice is outrageous."
41-year-old Mr Lee had worked as the tenant at the Aintree Hotel, in Bootle, for less than a month when he was found unconscious by a cleaner on November 12 2007. He had turned on a gas fire in his living room 10 hours earlier.
Pub owner Enterprise Inns was prosecuted after a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that the fire may not have been serviced since 1979 and the chimney was completely blocked.
The company admitted breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
