96-year-old May Lewis, died after she fell 20ft down an empty lift shaft as the owners of a care home had failed to act accordingly after being told that the lift was unsafe to use.
May Lewis had died in her wheelchair when her carer, Carol Conway, reversed into the empty shaft. She had not realised that the lift had failed to arrive,
The carer survived, however, suffered broken ribs, four fractures in her back and a broken ankle.
The owners of the Pontcanna care home, in Cardiff, Shirwan Al-Mufti (69), and his wife, Nasik (61), were convicted of health and safety breaches and have been ordered to pay £100,000.
Cardiff crown court was told that the care home owners had not inform the staff or residents about the problems with the lift in 2012. They had instead shown them how to use the emergency override key.
Mr and Mrs Mufti admitted failing to ensure health and safety requirements for employees and non-employees. They were fined £75,000 and were ordered to pay £25,000 costs.
