A health trust has been fined £10,000 after the death of a patient who choked on a Brussels sprout on Christmas Day.

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust pleaded guilty to a single health-and-safety charge at Coleraine Crown Court on Thursday.

Gerard McElhone, 50, was a patient at Mid Ulster Hospital when he died on 25 December 2014.

He had been assessed as needing a restricted diet requiring his food to be pre-mashed.

A joint investigation by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) and Police Service for Northern Ireland found Mr McElhone had asked for and been given the sprout in error by a member of staff.

Mr McElhone's dietary restrictions had been identified by way of an earlier assessment, but were not effectively communicated, the court heard.

"Effective communication of a patient's dietary requirements is vital in all health-care settings," HSENI inspector Linda Murphy said.

She added: "Choking can have serious consequences but is avoidable in cases where there is a known risk.

"Effective communication of a patient's dietary requirements is vital in all health care settings," she said.

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust, as an employer, failed to ensure that reasonably practicable steps were taken to ensure the safety of Mr McElhone.

• ·'A time of unprecedented danger': Doomsday Clock sits just 90 seconds before midnight due to the war in Ukraine - the closest humankind has been to annihilation in 76 years
• ·Trader Joe's shooting which left one man dead and three hospitalized is linked to a drug deal as suspect, his female getaway driver and survivors are taken into custody after cops reveal they all opened fire 
• ·Former Arkansas GOP governor Asa Hutchinconsequentlyn throws his hat in the ring by announcing a 2024 presidential run - days after saying Trump should withdraw after being indicted
• ·Convicted felon pleads NOT guilty to killing Memphis billionaire heiress Eliza Fletcher - after 'kidnapping her while she was out on early morning run'
• ·World champion Max Verstappen recovers from pit-speak disaster to overtake Lewis Hamilton and WIN the United States Grand Prix... landing the constructors' title for Red Bull on emotional weekend
• ·Harvey's pity componenty! Pervert movie mogul gives new statement whining 'I am innocent' and makes outrageous claim actress he raped unique acc utilized him as a 'money grab' - as he's handed 16 year sentence by California court 
• ·Elon Musk reveals Tucker Carlconsequentlyn has NOT signed a deal with Twitter as he welcomes his new demonstrate to the platform... while ex-Fox News host acc utilizes Rupert Murdoch of 'breaking promises' and the media giant of fraud and breach of contract
• ·Julian Nagelsmann PULLS OUT of the running to be Chelsea manager after growing frustrated with talks... leaving just Mauricio Pochettino, shock pick Vincent Kompany and one other mystery candidate on the fleetinglist
• ·Energy companies making 'war profits'
• ·Passenger plunges off the side of the Spirit of Tasmania ferry and dies - as cops scramble to find out what happened 
• ·Lawyer for one of the Memphis police officers charged with Tyre Nichols' death plays the race card, saying 'let's not forget my client is a black man in America' - as all five cops plead NOT GUILTY to murder
• ·FL train with 30,000 gallons of fuel derails, sparking new concern
• ·'People investing with us will be rewarded:' Mark Zuckerberg DEFENDS 'historic' Metaverse plans notwithstanding adjacently $650 BILLION loss in market valuation this year - as Meta's stock plunges 11% and quarterly revenue falls for a second straight time
• ·'Our search componenty found the girls before the police... that speaks volumes': Questions grow over why it took cops almost 48 hours to find five young revellers involved in Cardiff car crash which left three dead
• ·Sen. Steve Daines thanks Elon Musk for letting him out of 'Twitter jail' after he was suspended for using antelope hunting photo as his profile picture
• ·ISIS-inspired terrorist who killed eight people with truck in NYC is convicted - and could face first death penalty in New York since 1963