£60k fine over footballer's fatal electrocution

A company has been fined £60,000 following the death of a five-a-side footballer who was electrocuted at a leisure centre in 2016.

Albert Xhediku, 34, received the fatal shock from a floodlight when he went to retrieve a football at the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth.

Parkwood Community Leisure Ltd, which operated the pitch at the time, previously pleaded guilty at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court to failing to ensure public safety.

Imposing additional costs of £40,000, district Judge David Robinson said: "No fine can begin to reflect the devastation and pain caused by Albert's death."

Xhediku was playing with friends on 17 January 2016 when he climbed a metal fence to recover the ball and touched the faulty floodlight.

Matthew Taylor, prosecuting on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), said the light was damaged, poorly installed and poorly maintained.

In the preceding months, several players had received minor electrical shocks but did not report them, he said.

However, in December 2015, player Simon Tam reported a more serious jolt which left him with pins and needles, the court heard.

The light was inspected by centre staff but not made safe, the judge was told.

In an emotional statement, Xhediku's sister Suela said he was "made of kindness, laughter and bravery".

She said her parents in Albania "still live in the house he built for them and drive the car he bought for them".

Ms Xhediku recalled her father's grief when told about Albert's death, as he "broke whatever he could in the living room" while people tried to restrain him.

"Unfortunately, there will never be forgiveness," she told the court, speaking through tears.

"We lost the light of our lives and the world lost a great man."

Mike Atkins, defending, expressed the company's "profound regret and sympathy for the family".

He said the company had good maintenance procedures and it was hard to explain the failure of centre staff and contractors to follow them.

Judge Robinson commented: "Had numerous people done their job then this tragic event would not have happened."

The HSE said it brought the charge in 2025 after a "long and complex investigation".

In a statement, it said: "This case is a stark reminder that effective systems must be put in place to properly assess and manage the risks posed by ageing infrastructure."

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