A convenience store in Northern Ireland has confirmed that it has “finished” the work of one of its staff members in connection with a video mocking the death of Michaela McAreavey.
Enny’s Convenience Stores, which operates seven Spar-branded stores, confirmed in a Facebook post that they had learned of the staff member’s involvement in the video.
They said they were treating him “with the utmost seriousness” and the worker has been fired “with immediate effect”.
They also apologized to Mrs. McAreavey’s family.
“We acknowledge that the conduct carried out was carried out privately outside the control of the company, but we are taking this matter with the utmost seriousness,” they wrote.
“As a company, we do not tolerate or tolerate the offensive or disrespectful conduct of our staff.
“We have informed the staff member that their employment relationship has been terminated with immediate effect.
“We wholeheartedly apologize for the damage this has caused to the McAreavey / Harte families, our staff, our customers and the communities we have served for the past 29 years.”
The former employee is believed to be the second person to be fired for the video, after a Co Londonderry company fired a man earlier this week.
The video, which is believed to have been filmed in an Orange Hall during the Northern Ireland Centennial celebrations last month, showed several men singing a song about 27-year-old Professor Tyrone.
Mrs McAreavey was strangled in her room at the Legends Hotel in Mauritius on 10 January 2011.
The bride, who had married her husband John 10 days earlier, was attacked after she returned to her room alone and was disturbed by a robbery.
No one has been convicted of murdering the daughter of Gaelic football coach Mickey Harte.
The appearance of the video on social media last week provoked widespread condemnation across the political spectrum.
The Orange Order, which called him “disgusting”, also launched its own investigation into the incident.
On Monday, Justice Minister Naomi Long confirmed that she had contacted PSNI police chief Simon Byrne about the incident and it is understood that three people featured in the video have resigned from the Order of ‘Orange.
They have expressed their “complete shame and regret for their involvement in the incident.”
They insisted that there was no intention to broadcast the song on social media and that it was “casually broadcast” on Facebook Live.
A man was interviewed by police investigating the controversial clip after voluntarily attending Dungannon PSNI station on Sunday.
Ms. Long also said she understands that “at least” a file will be sent to the Tax Service (PPS) about the video.