Belfast City Council admits playing role in employee’s death

Belfast City Council has admitted playing a role in the death of an employee at a city dump.

The director of the council's legal services department has pleaded guilty to failing to ensure his health and safety.

39-year-old council worker Ashley Cunningham died from asphyxiation two years ago as he worked at the council's main landfill site in north Belfast.

Today the council's legal services director, Ciaran Quigley, pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to ensure the health and safety of an employee.

The council's defence said it wanted to express its "deep regret" and, in a later statement, said it realised this could not heal the family's pain.