Liverpool City Council is taking Britannia Hotels to court over alleged health and safety breaches after an investigation into the death of Chloe Haynes at the Adelphi Hotel
The owners of a hotel are set to be prosecuted over the death of a young woman who was crushed by a wardrobe after a night out. Chloe Haynes, 21, was discovered by her workmate trapped under the wardrobe at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool.
Despite initially arresting three men on suspicion of murder at the time, police released them without charge as officers ruled Chloe’s death in September 2022 was as the result of a tragic accident.
Now Liverpool City Council is taking Britannia Hotels to court over alleged health and safety breaches after a lengthy probe into her death. A spokesman said: “We can confirm that following an investigation we have decided to bring a prosecution.”
Chloe had travelled to Liverpool for an engagement party from the holiday park in North Wales where she worked. She was sharing a room with her colleague, who later made the heartbreaking discovery.
Her mum Nicola Williams, from Wrexham, said at the time of Chloe’s death: “By midnight, she had been drinking shots and so on and she was a bit drunk, so her friend has taken her back to the hotel to sleep it off and then he’s gone back out.
“It seems she has got up out of the bed confused, not knowing where she is, and she’s opened the door of the wardrobe maybe thinking it is the toilet or the door to go back out of the room.
“It was a big, old, heavy wardrobe and it’s fallen on her and crushed her windpipe.”
Nicola said Chloe’s colleague raised the alarm and three men rushed in to help lift the wardrobe but tragically she could not be saved and was pronounced dead shortly after.
It was those three men who were initially questioned over Chloe’s death by police. One of the men, Wayne Kenny from Bootle, told the Liverpool Echo how he was stunned to be arrested on suspicion of murder after trying to perform CPR on Chloe.
Liverpool Council carried out spot checks on the premises and issued prohibition notices to Britannia Hotels regarding the safety of the wardrobes found in Chloe’s room. The checks also raised concerns over the condition of the hotel’s windows.
Britannia Hotels challenged the notices and the council agreed to drop them after seeing evidence work had been carried out to make them safe.
A spokesman for the hotel chain said today: “We can confirm that Liverpool City Council has initiated legal proceedings in relation to the Adelphi Hotel and we are fully cooperating with the legal process.
“Our sympathies remain with the families and loved ones of those involved. As this matter is now before the courts, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further at this time.”
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