- ITV Report
Two companies fined £110,000 after Karolina Golabek, 5, killed by electric gate
Two companies have been fined £110,000 after a young girl was crushed to death by an electric gate in Bridgend.
Cardiff Crown Court heard Karolina Golabek, five, was playing with kittens when she was trapped by sliding 12ft wide garden gate in July 2010.
Karolina became trapped against a wall by the 3ft high gate - which wasn't set to stop or reverse - at flats next door to her family home.
The two companies responsible for maintaining the gate admitted causing her death by repeatedly failing to follow safety guidelines.
Karolina died 20 minutes after being admitted to hospital.
A post-mortem revealed she had died of severe compression of her body.
Cardiff Crown Court heard the gate had a crushing force set at 200kg - five times greater than British safety regulations.
The gate did not have a safety beam to detect pedestrians approaching it and had not been set to slow or reverse if blocked.
John Glen Installations Services Ltd, of Gorseinon, Swansea, had set up the gate in June 2009. The company was fined £60,000.
Tremorfa Ltd, of St Mellons, Cardiff, had been contracted to maintain it. They were fined £50,000.
Judge Tom Crowther QC said: "Karolina was found of cats. She was well known to the residents as they would see her playing with local cats."
"She would climb over the wall to reach them and put her arms through the railings to entice them to her"
Sarah Hibbard reports: