Northern Ireland

Company director guilty of safety faults causing GAA star's death

Brian Og Maguire was a popular employee and footballer 
Brian Og Maguire was a popular employee and footballer  Brian Og Maguire was a popular employee and footballer  (CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPH/CONTRIBUTED - COPYRIGHT NOT HELD)

TRIBUTE has been paid to popular GAA player Brian Og Maguire, as the director of a Fermanagh cement company pleaded guilty to charges over safety faults which caused his death in 2012.

Liam McCaffrey of Quinn Building Products Ltd in Derrylin, appeared at Dungannon Crown Court yesterday charged with failing to ensure the safety of an employee and failing to maintain work equipment.

Mr Maguire's family were seated in the public gallery and listened intently as the charges were read to McCaffrey, who replied, "guilty" to both.

No details of the incident, which happened on September 13, 2012, were disclosed during the brief hearing.

A prosecution lawyer said victim impact statements will take some time to complete.

Her Honour Judge Melody McReynolds said while there is general requirement for closure as soon as possible, she was "conscious the deceased was actively involved in sport and the family may wish to articulate that in their impact statements".

A defence lawyer said he had "been instructed to directly and expressly state to the family, the loss of Brian Og is sorely felt by the defendant's company".

"He was an exceptionally popular work colleague and the sense of loss has not diminished with the passage of time."

Judge McReynolds said it was "a very tragic matter".

"I would be obliged to have the condolences of the court added to those expressed, and passed to the family," she said.

The case was adjourned for sentencing on 8 October.

Mr Maguire's family wept quietly in the public gallery and comforted each other.

McCaffrey, who was also emotional, glanced at the family as he left the dock, before leaving the court room.

Shortly after the hearing ended a statement was released by Quinn Industrial Holdings Ltd

"The management of Quinn Building Products Limited acknowledges the outcome of the proceedings today related to the tragic death of our employee, Brian Óg Maguire in September 2012," it said.

"This tragic event occurred prior to the acquisition of the business by Quinn Industrial Holdings Limited. However the company accepts that there were failings in its maintenance of appropriate Health & Safety regulations at the time of the accident.

"Brian's death remains a tragic loss to his family, his community and his work-colleagues and he is sadly missed by all his friends throughout the business.

"The company has worked closely with the Health & Safety Executive, implemented significant changes to work practices and made every possible effort to ensure that no such incident ever occurs again."

As well as being a devoted family man, Mr Maguire was a gifted sportsman who played with the Fermanagh senior squad, playing in two of Fermanagh's McKenna Cup games and in four National League games just months before his death.

In 2012, he helped his club, Lisnaskea, reach their first Fermanagh senior club final since 1996.