Man Pleads Guilty Following Electric Shock Death Of WA Man

The death of a WA man after handling a homemade high-voltage electrical device in 2020 has resulted in a stern warning from the state’s energy safety regulator.

The warning follows the prosecution of warehouse worker Steven Ryan Buckle who was responsible for creating the device.

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Mr Buckle faced Perth Magistrates Court on December 10, 2021 where he plead guilty to a breach of the state’s electricity licensing regulations.

It is alleged that in February 2020, Mr Buckle built a DIY device for fractal burning by using an internet video, jumper cables and microwave parts.

Fractal burning is an art method used to burn patterns into wood.

Mr Buckle then gave the device to a friend who used it with her partner on March 22, 2020.

The pair were taking turns when the male touched the live electrical part of the device, giving him a fatal electric shock.

Magistrate Donna Webb noted that Mr Buckle was remorseful and plead guilty to the offence, issuing him with a fine of $8,000 which was suspended for six months and enforced a fee of $573.50.

Unlicensed electrical work is against the law and has been responsible for multiple deaths across Australia and the US with a man dying in South Australia after coming into contact with a similar wood burning device.

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