Published: Wednesday 12 August 2026
A Chelsea restaurant has been fined £50,000 after a three-year-old child suffered serious injuries when their foot was trapped and crushed in a descending glass window.
Vardo Restaurant, in Duke of York Square, was prosecuted by Kensington and Chelsea Council after an investigation found the company had failed to properly assess the risks posed by the windows or put suitable safety measures in place.
The child was having lunch with their family at the restaurant in January 2022 when their foot became trapped in the mechanism as the window was being closed, causing injuries which required multiple operations. They now face potential long-term complications, including chronic pain, impaired mobility and growth-related issues requiring ongoing monitoring.
Vardo was sentenced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 12 August after breaching Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay a £2,000 victim surcharge and £23,705 towards the Council’s costs.
Cllr Johnny Thalassites, lead member for resident services, planning, and enforcement, said:
“The vast majority of businesses in our borough work hard to provide a safe environment for their customers. This case shows what can happen when those standards are not met.
“We want everyone to feel confident and protected when visiting Kensington and Chelsea. Our officers are working closely with businesses to remind them of their responsibilities and will act against those who put members of public at risk.”
What happened in this case?
On the day of the accident, the window had been lowered by approximately 20 centimetres to create a gap at the top of the window for ventilation. This also created a gap between the window and the floor. A safety mechanism had not been engaged on the day.
The investigation also found that the manager had instructed an unauthorised and untrained member of staff to close the window, the key had been left in the mechanism, and when the window was closed by the untrained staff member it caused the child’s foot to be trapped.