A PROPERTY owner who put occupants’ lives at risk has been fined over fire safety breaches.

Alan Poate, 81, owns a flat in New Road, Littlehampton.

West Sussex County Council inspectors said he had failed to comply with safety rules.

He failed to review a fire risk assessment, failed to ensure a building could be evacuated as quickly and safely as possible, failed to maintain a faulty fire alarm and fire door, and failed to safeguard people’s safety.

A court heard that his failures had “placed one or more relevant persons at risk of death or serious injury.

At Crawley Magistrates’ Court Poate admitted five counts of breaching Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Orders.

Poate, of Maxwell Road, Arundel, was fined £507 by the court.

He must also pay a £51 surcharge and £1,923 court costs for the county council. For information about fire safety visit: westsussex.gov.uk