McKinstry Biomass was sentenced at Newry Crown Court on 8 July 2026 after admitting breaches of health and safety legislation connected to the death of 52-year-old employee Ian McCollum in January 2022.
At the same hearing, Walter Manley, 53, from the Newry area, was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to manslaughter and breaching health and safety legislation.
Manley received a three-year and four-month custodial sentence for manslaughter and a concurrent 12-month custodial sentence for the health and safety offence.
Half of the sentence will be spent in custody, with the remainder served on licence.
The company pleaded guilty to breaches of Article 4(1) and Article 5(1) of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978, as well as Regulation 3(1)(a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000.
A statement issued on behalf of Mr McCollum’s wife and son said: “We remain devastated at losing Ian. He was a devoted and thoughtful husband and father whose life revolved around us and his love of farming. He loved life and loved us. The future without him will be very difficult.”
The offences relate to a fatal workplace incident at McKinstry Biomass’s site at Carnbane Business Park in Newry on 24 January 2022.
McCollum was fatally injured after being struck by a telehandler being driven by Manley while both men were at work.
He died at the scene as a result of his injuries.
Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Beck of the Police Service of Northern Ireland added: “On 24th January 2022, 52-year-old Ian McCollum was fatally injured in a workplace accident at McKinstry Biomass Ltd at Carnbane Business Park in Newry.
“Mr McCollum was struck by a telehandler that was being driven by Manley. He sadly passed away at the scene due to the extent of his injuries – leaving his family devastated by their loss.”
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