Almost ten years after a tragic electrocution, Parkwood Community Leisure Ltd is set to face prosecution. Albert Xhediku, a 34-year-old dad, died after a 230-volt shock while climbing a fence to fetch a football during a casual five-a-side game at Portsmouth’s Mountbatten Centre in January 2016.
Faulty Wiring Blamed For Tragic Death
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced on November 17, 2025, that Parkwood will appear in court on December 4, 2025. They are charged with breaching health and safety laws for failing to maintain safe electrical systems, despite previous warnings of shocks at the outdoor pitch.
Albert was electrocuted when he touched a floodlight pylon to steady himself climbing the 12-foot metal fence at around 6:40 p.m. His friends suffered minor shocks trying to rescue him, but despite CPR and emergency efforts, Albert died later that evening at Queen Alexandra Hospital.
“Albert was a guy who did everything with all his heart. Even when he was just playing football with his friends, he played like it was the championships,” said his family. “He was our big brother and a loving son.”
Ignored Warnings and Inadequate Maintenance
HSE’s investigation revealed dangerously frayed cables and poor maintenance left the floodlight mast live. An off-duty police officer had reported a shock at the same spot weeks before Albert’s death, but Parkwood failed to act on the warnings.
HSE inspector Michelle Canning condemned the “poor installation methods and lack of maintenance” that allowed the fatal fault to remain undetected. The 2019 inquest jury ruled the death accidental but deemed the electrical faults “preventable.”
Corporate Accountability After Nearly a Decade
- Parkwood faces charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, with fines up to £20,000 or unlimited penalties if escalated to Crown Court.
- No individuals have been charged; the prosecution targets the company’s corporate liability.
- Portsmouth City Council was not operating the centre at the time and denies responsibility.
- The Mountbatten Centre is now managed by Everyone Active, with safety upgrades including insulated pylons and higher fences to prevent future accidents.
The case highlights wider concerns over UK leisure facility safety, especially around outdoor pitches with floodlighting. Previous HSE cases have seen fines rise into six figures or more for deaths linked to electrical faults.
As Albert’s family awaits the December court appearance, the HSE urges all leisure operators to urgently review electrical safety. The tragedy should serve as a stark warning: cut corners on safety, and lives hang in the balance.
