Irish Ferries has been fined €125,000 for failing to have pedestrian walkways at a Dublin Port cargo area, where a crane driver was crushed to death.

Stephen Bayfield (47), who worked for an outsourced company, died over three years ago when he was struck by the tyre of a crane he was due to operate as he returned from a break.

Irish Ferries representative, Paul Sullivan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on behalf of the company of B & I Ferryport, Alexandra Road in Dublin 1, that it failed to provide designated walkways in the cargo handling area on October 28th, 2011.

The company has no previous convictions.

The deceased's wife, Julie Bayfield, told the court her "world fell apart" the day of the accident.

She described the pain of not being able to see her husband's body, and having to identify him from his watch and phone.

Mrs Bayfield paid tribute to her husband as an "intelligent, kind, funny and gentle guy" who was a safety conscious person.

Padraic McMahon, a Health and Safety Authority (HSA) inspector, revealed that Irish Ferries has since fulfilled requirements for designated walkways.

Judge Martin Nolan extended his condolences to the Bayfield family - but said the only sentence option open to him was a fine.

He took into account that Irish Ferries Ltd had pleaded guilty, fully co-operated and apologised to the deceased's family.

The judge gave Irish Ferries Ltd two months to pay the fine.