Both men were charged with unlawfully killing Connor Currie, Lauren Bullock and Morgan Barnard
The owner of a Co Tyrone hotel and a member of security staff today denied charges arising from the deaths of three teenagers.
Lauren Bullock and Morgan Barnard, who were both 17, and 16-year old Connor Currie lost their lives following the fatal incident on March 17, 2019.
The teenagers were amongst a crowd of young people queuing to enter Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown for a St Patrick’s Day disco when the fatal crush occurred.
Their families packed into the public gallery of Belfast Crown Court on Friday where two men were arraigned and a date for the three-month trial was set.
The hotel’s owner, Michael McElhatton, 58, from Rock Road in Moneymore, appeared in the dock alongside self-employed security staff member Seamus Mitchell, 47, from Mullan Road in Coagh.
Both men were charged with unlawfully killing Connor Currie, Lauren Bullock and Morgan Barnard.
When the three charges of manslaughter were put to McElhatton, he entered “not guilty” pleas to all three.
After the same three charges were put to Mitchell, he also entered “not guilty” pleas.
In addition, the pair were charged with health and safety offences.
McElhatton was charged that being the director of Tobin Limited, he contravened the Health and Safety at Work legislation on March 17, 2019.
As a representative of Tobin Limited, which is based on the Drum Road in Cookstown, he was also charged with failing to ensure the health and safety of non-employees on the same date.
When asked to enter pleas to these charges, McElhatton answered “not guilty” to both.
Mitchell was then charged that being a self-employed person, he failed to ensure persons were not exposed to risks to their health and safety on March 17, 2019.
After this charge was levelled at him, Mitchell replied “not guilty.”
Following this, Madam Justice McBride asked Crown barrister Charles MacCreanor KC how long he expected the trial to last.
Saying both the prosecution and defence were “keen to get the case to hearing as soon as it is ready to be heard”, Mr MacCreanor said it was estimated that the trial will last around three months.
After being told by both the Crown and defence that several issues were outstanding, Madam Justice McBride said: “Given that the events in respect of the charges took place in 2019, it’s in everyone’s interests that we try and get this matter to trial as practically and as reasonably as we can.”
After she set the date for the commencement of the trial as October 5, 2026, the senior judge addressed the families of the teenagers.
She told them: “I appreciate this is very distressing, it’s been ongoing for a long, long time.
“Hopefully today, now that we have a target date, that is something for everyone to work towards.
“There are some uncertainties between now and then and you will understand there way be reasons why that date is not achieved but to essentially ensure that date is achieved, I am managing this case and I am going to have regular reviews and make sure that if I set dates for certain things to be done, those dates are achieved.
“Hopefully in that way this trial will commence on the date that I have set and if it doesn’t start on that date, it will start shortly thereafter.”
Madam Justice McBride then said she would review the case on January 16, 2026.
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