The heartbroken parents of a Durham University student who died outside a bar have told a court of their heartache.
Olivia Burt, 20, fell through a panel in a decorative screen used to manage the queue at Missoula in Durham. Teesside Crown Court heard how a section of the heavy screen then fell and other customers landed on top on February 7, 2018.
The former venue on Walkergate was owned by Stonegate Pub Company - the largest pub company in the UK.
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On Thursday, the firm was found guilty of a single health and safety breach. The charge relates to the same screen falling earlier on the same evening and being lifted back into place.
Olivia's parents, Paula and Nigel Burt, both read out an emotional victim impact statement to the court in Middlesbrough on Thursday afternoon.
Paula, who appeared in court via a video link, said: "Olivia was everything I ever wanted and hoped for in a child. She was my best friend.
"Olivia was my whole world. Now Olivia is dead. She was taken from us in the cruellest way possible on the 7th February 2018 when she was only 20 years old. She was simply on a night out with friends and should not have come to any harm.
"Without Olivia my heart's now broken and nothing will ever mend it. I'm living a never ending nightmare."
Ms Burt said, following Olivia's death she had messages sent to her which included "laughing faces" and a photograph of a coffin.
She said Olivia's Facebook was also trolled and her pictures were desecrated. She said: "The first time I saw this I felt sick."
In relation to Stonegate Pub Company, Paula said: "We have been robbed of the most wonderful daughter and any grandchildren.
"It's a sad fact there has been no apology from Stonegate during this trial. It's because of Stonegate's failures that Olivia was dead.
"They will never know what we go through everyday knowing that for the rest of my life I will never see Olivia again.
"At the end of the day Stonegate employees will go home to their family and loved ones - for them nothing has changed. For me everything has changed."
Nigel, who read out his statement in the courtroom, added: "Olivia was amazing, I wish you could have met her. She was beautiful inside and out. She had the most incredible smile.
"During the course of the investigation we have had to fight every step of the way to secure justice and accountability for Olivia."
Prashant Popat, defending, apologised to Olivia's parents on behalf of Stonegate Pub Company.
He said: "Mr and Mrs Burt, in their moving victim impact statements both said that Stonegate can never understand the pain caused by their failure and that is absolutely correct. The company can't even begin to comprehend that loss and that grief."
Mr Popat added: "Stonegate should have done more to ensure people were not standing alongside the screen."
Judge Howard Crowson will sentence the company at 2pm on Friday.
