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Reporter's undercover work leads to court action on death trap sofas

An undercover investigation by a Basildon Echo reporter has led to court action, with a shop ordered to pay nearly £10,000 for selling furniture that can kill in minutes.

Jon Austin, the paper’s political reporter, posed as a customer following a tip-off that the shop was selling Polish sofas which failed to comply with strict UK fire safety regulations. They had false tags which claimed they were safe.

Jon then sent the three-piece suite, bought from a Basildon store for £269, for official tests.

It ignited withing seconds belching black smoke and deadly cyanide gas. The furniture was a blazing fireball within minutes and both the cover and foam failed British Standards.

The information was passed to Essex Trading Standards which sent officers to the store before the Echo went to press with its findings.

  • How the Echo revealed its findings
  • Trading Standards officers bought and tested their own identical purchase which also failed the tests, and a prosecution began.

    The shop’s directors, brothers Rodney, (40), and Lawrence Martin, (39), of Margraten Avenue, Canvey, pleaded guilty in writing on Thursday to selling illegal, non-fire retardant furniture.

    Prosecuting, Richard Power told Basildon Magistrates Court how the Echo’s information spurred officers into action.

    He said: “Trading standards reacted to information received regarding the alleged sale of unsafe furniture supplied from Furniture Store.”

    The brothers and the company pleaded guilty to two charges each under Furniture Regulations.

    The company also admitted two offences under the business names act for failing to display required details about the business in the shop and on paperwork.

    Together, they were fined a total of £7,000 with £2,934 costs.

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