A man has admitted the manslaughter of one of his employees when a chimney collapsed.

Nigel Parker, 56, pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court today to unlawfully killing Daniel Hough on July 25 last year.

Mr Hough, 23, was working at a semi-detached house in Thorncliffe Estate, Batley when the incident happened.

Parker had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to failing to ensure the health and safety at work of his employees during the work on the chimney and to a second charge of exposing persons not in his employment to risk.

Lisa Roberts representing Parker said it was a “sensitive case” involving complex issues.

She said Parker of Kirkgate, Sherburn-in-Elmet, “is aware of the almost inevitable outcome in a case like this.”

But she said he had suffered numerous health problems and had spent time in hospital and was continuing to have treatment.

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC agreed to adjourn sentence to January to allow time for the preparation of medical and psychiatric reports as well as a pre-sentence report on Parker.