Bournemouth, Crime | Posted on April 2nd, 2026 | return to news

Boscombe care home prosecuted for fire safety failings

A vulnerable resident at Portelet Manor Limited who had been smoking in the home’s designated smoking area died in 2023.

A Boscombe care home has been fined a substantial sum following the death of a person in its care.

Portelet Manor Limited has been ordered to pay a fine of £70,000 following fire safety failings that were identified after the death of a vulnerable resident at their care home in June 2023.

Sentencing took place at Poole Magistrates’ Court on 31 March after the company entered a guilty plea to a charge brought forward by Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS). Portelet Manor Limited entered the plea to an offence contrary to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 that put people at risk of death or serious injury, specifically Article 11, in that it failed to ensure appropriate fire safety arrangements were in place.

In addition to the fine, the company was ordered to pay £22,000 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge.

A resident who had been smoking in the home’s designated smoking area on 19 June 2023 suffered significant burns and died in hospital 11 days later. Although DWFRS was not called to the incident, it was made aware of what had happened and opened a fire safety investigation.

Tom Huntley, fire safety prosecution manager for DWFRS, said: “Firstly, the thoughts of us all at Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service remain with the loved ones, friends and family of the person who tragically lost their life. Public safety is our highest priority, and the court’s finding should serve as a clear message to everyone in Dorset and Wiltshire about the importance of fire safety.

“We are fully committed to supporting businesses and Responsible Persons to ensure the safety of the public. However, where there is a failure to comply with legal requirements, DWFRS will pursue prosecution action where it is appropriate and in the public interest to do so. This case highlights the very serious consequences of failures in fire safety management.”

More about the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 can be found at www.dwfire.org.uk/business-fire-safety.