Committal proceedings against the owner of the Greenvale Hotel and a self-employed member of security staff facing manslaughter along with health and safety failing charges, have been adjourned
Lauren Bullock and Morgan Barnard, both 17, and Connor Currie, 16, died as a result of a crush involving hundreds of people queued to enter the hotel on St Patrick’s Day 2019.
Michael McElhatton (55) of Rock Road Moneymore and Seamus Mitchell (44) of Mullan Road, Coagh are jointly charged with unlawfully killing the three teenagers.
As a director of the company Tobin Limited, McElhatton is further charged with failing to conduct an undertaking as an employer to ensure that non-employed persons were not exposed to health and safety risks, and this failure occurred due to an act of default.
Mitchell meanwhile is accused of being a self-employed person who failed to ensure persons were not exposed to risk.
Tobin Limited, with an address of Drum Road, Cookstown is accused of the same charge as an employer.
The case was listed at Dungannon Magistrates’ Court for a committal to transfer for trial, however a defence barrister pointed to the “vastness” of the file and further time is required to study the papers.
Lauren Bullock, 17, Morgan Barnard, 17, and Connor Currie, 16
District Judge Peter Magill agreed to list the matter for mention on January 27, however noted: “This is a substantial case and it will have to move at some stage.”
Neither McElhatton nor Mitchell were in attendance for the short adjournment application.
Back in September the PSNI confirmed files were submitted to the Public Prosecution Service in respect of 11 people.
The Police Ombudsman also reported five police officers.
Following consideration, it was decided the remaining nine individuals would not be prosecuted, nor would the five police officers.
