Mum suing Argos for £20million over her shock at learning she had been using an ‘unsafe’ car seat for 18 months
Mother-of-one Rochelle Natty, from Oldham Gtr Manchester, issues High Court writ against retailer
A MOTHER is suing Argos for a colossal £20million over her shock at learning she had been using an allegedly unsafe car seat for 18 months.
Rochelle Natty says the retailer sold her the product which was "not fit for purpose" then took a year and a half to inform her and other customers that it was faulty.
Argos issued an "urgent recall" of its exclusive range of Mamas & Papas branded Mercury Group car seats in April this year, after identifying a "potential safety issue".
Customers were urged to immediately return any of five models they had purchased from the trendy range, which sold at around £50, because of concerns that they might be prone to cracking.
RELATED STORIES
Miss Natty, a mother of one, from Oldham, Gtr Manchester, says she was sold one of the unsafe seats.
She is now demanding Argos pay her £20 million in damages for the shock caused when she realised she had been unwittingly "driving around with my child in an unsafe car seat".
In a High Court writ Miss Natty said: "I was sold a car seat that was unsafe and Argos (took) one year and a half to inform me about it, whilst my son was being driven around in a car seat that was not fit for purpose.
"They put my child's life at risk.
"On 11 May 2016 I received an email from Argos stating urgent safety concerns.
"I read through it, then called Argos up and asked, why did it take them a year and a half to tell me this whilst driving around with my child in an unsafe car seat.
"Argos then went on to blame Mamas & Papas."
Miss Natty also claims the high street giants "failed to recognise the seriousness of the risk they placed my child in."
Lewis Bretts, Argos' barrister, wrote in the company's defence to the action that Argos "admits" it sold the car seats and issued the recall notice.
But he adds that Mamas & Papas, not Argos, are "the producer and importer of all such items for the purposes of the Consumer Protection Act 1987."
Mamas & Papas are named as second defendants on the writ.
The barrister adds that Argos want Miss Natty to "prove" she purchased one of the seats from them.
He goes on to ask for her claim to be struck out, adding that she "seeks £20m despite not claiming to have suffered any actual loss, damage or personal injury."
He says she has failed to provide adequate details of "the nature of the loss or damage suffered and how the alleged breach or defect caused her to suffer."
";It is averred that Argos has acted reasonably at all times in respect of the timing and distribution of the recall notice," he adds.
"Argos has offered a full refund to any of its customers in possession of an item referred to in the recall notice."
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368