A construction company has this week been convicted of breaching safety regulations over a fatality on a Dublin building site nearly six years ago.

The English-registered firm, PJ Carey (Contractors) Ltd, was convicted by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of having a dangerous work system at the site on Ballymun Road on December 09, 2002 when the man died in a collapsed trench.

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Brendan Coulton of Emyvale, Co Monaghan died after the unsupported trench he and members of his excavation team were digging collapsed.

However, since the victim had been reprimanded previously for going into an unsupported trench - two metres below ground level - the jury of eight men and four women found the company not guilty on a second charge that it had a dangerous workplace on that occasion.

The verdicts were returned following three hours deliberation.

Judge Patrick McCartan had directed the jury to return not guilty verdicts on three other safety regulation breach charges against the company of Carey House, Great Central Way, Wembley, England.

Judge McCartan adjourned sentence to a later date.

(BMcC)