R v Singh (1999)

A landlord left his son in charge of his Ipswich property while he returned to India. The tenant died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a gas boiler. The landlord, agent son and the gas fitter responsible for servicing the boiler were all convicted of manslaughter.

HELD: The landlord appealed against his conviction, but it was upheld by the Court of Appeal as there was sufficient proximity between the son and the landlord father for a duty of care to apply to the son’s management role. The son was in effect acting as his father's agent, and the father landlord has had sufficient information about the dangers of defective gas fires to have taken action. A custodial sentence of nine months imprisonment was imposed.