Stretton Nursing Home Director installed his own gas cooker

Amarjit Sehmi was sentenced to six months in prison after he ignored employees' concerns at Crowhurst Care Home in East Sussex. 

At the time, the 66-year-old was also a director at Stretton Nursing Home, a private home situated between Stretton Sugwas and Burghill. The home has confirmed that Sehmi resigned from his position on September 5 - the day he was sentenced. 

At an earlier hearing, he pleaded guilty to two offences under sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and two offences under regulation 3 (1 and 3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

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Rother District Council said employees warned Sehmi, of Boston Gardens, Brentford, that he should not install the gas cooker at the home in March 2022 because he was not qualified.

However, he ignored the warnings and told staff to cook that evening's meal for residents on the replacement cooker.

The worker who prepared the meal attended A&E later that evening with a heavy headache and disorientation, while other workers reported a pungent smell in the kitchen.

Emergency gas engineers were called to the property and the gas cooker was found to be in a dangerous state and was disconnected.

The care home workers reported the matter to Environmental Health at Rother District Council, who started the investigation which led to the conviction of Sehmi.

The Health and Safety at Work Act is enforced by local environmental health officers in residential care homes, retail and office premises.

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At the sentencing hearing at Lewes Crown Court, Sehmi apologised for his behaviour, saying he would never touch a gas appliance again.

Sentencing Sehmi to immediate custody, His Honour Judge van der Zwart remarked that “you do not need to be a gas engineer to understand the risk of gas.”

The judge continued: “You ultimately decided to install a cooker. You positively created a risk of serious injury or death when you had increased responsibility for vulnerable persons and members of the public nearby.”

The residents of Crowhurst Care Home were moved to new accommodation and the home closed in August 2022. The affected worker made a full recovery.

In a statement, Hardev Sehmi from Stretton Nursing Home said: "Mr Amarjit Sehmi resigned his position at Stretton Nursing Home on the 5th September 2023. 

"With the support of the Hereford Commissioners and the CQC a new responsible individual has been appointed and is overseeing the smooth running of the home. 

"Amarjit Sehmi is not in custody and has taken early retirement. 

"All parties that have an interest in Stretton Nursing Home were informed in early September and with their support the home has had a smooth transition."