Man jailed after killing colleague by driving over him twice

A man who killed a work colleague by twice driving over him in a telehandler at a biomass facility has been handed a sentence of three years and four months.

Ian McCollum, aged 52, was delivering a load to the McKinstry Biomass plant in Carnbane Industrial Estate in Newry when he died as a result of what the judge said was a "catastrophic error of judgement".

The man driving that machine was 53-year-old Walter Manley of Loanda Crescent in the city.

The court heard he had been moving materials in the telehandler with a loading bucket obscuring his view.

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He drove over McCollum who was emptying a load from his lorry.

Manley thought he had driven over a piece of wood but did not check the vehicle's mirrors or cameras before reversing over McCollum a second time.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Paul Ramsey said Manley was "driving blind and showed disregard for risk" in what he viewed as a "difficult and heart breaking case" that led to the "monumental tragedy of the loss of a husband and father".

In May of this year Manley pleaded guilty to manslaughter and being an employee in breach of duty to others.

On Wednesday he was handed a sentence of three years and four months, half of which will be served in custody and half on licence.

McKinstry Biomass Ltd had pleaded guilty to a number of health and safety related offences in November 2025. They received a fine of £120,000.

In delivering sentence, Judge Ramsey acknowledged that this could do little to "ease the grief of the family".

This case had received an exemption during the recent barristers' strike after McCollum's widow Kathryn told of how the family was at 'breaking point' due to delays.