Parents of Olivia Burt speak of their immeasurable grief ahead of sentencing of Stonegate Pub Limited, which has been convicted of failing to ensure her safety at Missoula bar in Durham
THE parents of Milford student Olivia Burt – who was killed when a screen fell on her while queuing for a nightclub – have paid tribute to their “wonderful” daughter after a pub company was convicted of failing to ensure her safety.
Olivia (20) suffered a fatal head injury when decorative fencing collapsed outside the Missoula bar in Durham city centre on 7th February, 2018.
Stonegate Pub Limited, which managed the bar, failed to carry out proper safety checks, which led to Olivia’s “senseless and avoidable” death, prosecutors said.
Speaking via video-link at Durham Crown Court, Olivia’s mum Paula paid tribute to her daughter.
“Olivia was and still is the most important person in my life,” she said. “She was everything I ever wanted and hoped for in a child.
“She was my best friend. When she walked in a room we only ever had to look at each other and we burst out laughing because we knew what the other was thinking.
“She had a positive outlook on life and was very much looking forward to her time at Durham University.
“Olivia was my whole world; now Olivia is dead.
“She was taken from us in the cruelest way possible on the 7th of February 2018. She was only 20-years-old.
“The fact that Olivia was away from home at the time makes it even harder to come to terms with her death. I’m still half expecting her to walk back in the room.
“She was simply on a night out with friends and should not have come to any harm.
“I feel like I’m continuously trying to crawl out of a pit and fall to the bottom again. I’m living a never-ending nightmare.”
Paula also said she and her husband had to deal with social media trolls who made fun of their daughter’s death in the months that followed.
She added: “I cannot sleep at night because that is when I think of what happened to Olivia the most.
“Olivia would be 25 now and I often wonder what she would be doing it she was here today.
“What career path would she have taken? Would she be in a relationship? Maybe thinking of settling down and starting a family of her own.
“We have been robbed of a wonderful daughter and any grandchildren.”
Finishing her statement, Mrs Burt directed her last words directly to Olivia, and said: “Thank you for choosing me to be your mum.
“I am and always will be immensely proud of you. You can rest easy now Liv.”
Paula and her husband Nigel have since set up Olivia Inspires, a charity which aims to provide financial support to young people in the New Forest
Nigel Burt povided his own statement to jurors, with Olivia’s favourite soft toy next to him.
“Olivia was the best daughter a father could wish for,” he said.
“Because of what you did Stonegate, it’s hard to even say Olivia’s name because it brings back so many thoughts and memories.”
Issuing a statement outside court, Nigel added: “Olivia was our only child and meant everything to us.
“It is incomprehensible to us how she could have died on a night out with friends whilst simply standing in a queue.
“Stonegate should never have used decorative fencing for crowd management.
“Stonegate knew the fencing was not safe after it nearly collapsed the previous year and collapsed just 30 minutes earlier on the night that Olivia died.
“Stonegate showed a complete dereliction of their duties and disregard for the safety of those attending, including Olivia.
“It has been a long journey. We wish to thank Durham County Council for bringing the prosecution and all the witnesses present on the night that Olivia died for having the courage to come to court to give evidence.
“Our heartbreak and pain have been prolonged by Stonegate pleading not guilty and fighting the case to trial.
“We have been waiting 1,976 days for Stonegate to be held criminally responsible.
“We thank the jury for seeing through Stonegate’s smoke and mirrors defence, blaming everyone but themselves for what happened to Olivia.
“No punishment will bring Olivia back, but we ask the court to impose the maximum sentence in recognition of the fact that Stonegate was responsible for Olivia’s death and destroying our family.
“Olivia was at the start of her adult life in her first year at university and had so much to look forward to; this was taken away from her in the cruellest possible way.
“Our lives will never be the same again – we are heartbroken.”
Olivia was in her first year studying natural sciences when she died.
She was waiting with friends to get into the ‘Game Over’ event at Missoula, in the Walkergate area, which housed a number of bars, the court had heard
The pub chain was found guilty of failing to ensure the safety of those not in its employment by a jury at Teesside Court yesterday (Thursday).
Jamie Hill KC, who was prosecuting on behalf of Durham County Council, said Olivia’s death was “senseless and avoidable” and “preventable and predictable.”
Judge Howard Crowson yesterday adjourned sentencing, which will be a fine, until today (Friday) so he could hear more legal arguments from the defence.
Prashant Popat KC, for the defence, expressed his deepest apologies on behalf of Stonegate to Mr and Mrs Burt.
Mr Popat said Stonegate is a “safety conscientious” organisation that prides itself on the care of those it is responsible for.
