Newcastle City Council Statement

Chief Executive of Newcastle City Council, Pam Smith, said: “Ella’s death was a devastating tragedy, and our hearts go out to her family and friends.

“Whilst we take our health and safety responsibilities very seriously, we fully accept that there were failings in our processes which is why we have pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity. We note the Judge’s comments today and fully accept the sentence of the court.

“Immediately following the incident, we reviewed our processes and as a result, we have put in place new procedures to prevent something like this from ever happening again.

“We would like to offer our sincere and profound condolences and apologise unreservedly to Ella’s family for their unimaginable loss.”