Fife Council has been fined �5,000 after a teenager died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty gas central heating system in his local authority-owned flat.

Mark Taggerty, 19, was killed and his girlfriend Hazel Brown, 18, was severely disabled after the deadly gas filled their bedsit in Glenrothes.

The families of the victims have criticised the fine, made at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Wednesday, for being too lenient.

An emotional Miss Brown said: "I still have a lot of anger in me. Mark would have been alive today if the council had acted.

"I complained many times about the heating but the council would not take it in. They told me it was not their job and to go home."

The council admitted breaching gas safety regulations and expressed its regret.

But it stressed it was committed to safety and since the accident two years ago has spent more than �1m on upgrading systems.

Procurator Fiscal Hellen Clark told Sheriff Francis Keane the couple had been feeling unwell for a few days before the tragedy on November 9, 1998.

Worried relatives burst into the house and found that Mr Taggerty was dead and Miss Brown was near death.

Ms Clark added that the gas warm air central heating system in the flat had been thoroughly examined after the tragedy and found to be defective.

Experts concluded there had probably been a problem since the systems had been installed in the properties in the late 1960s.

Masking tape fix

Ms Clark said: "What appeared to be the catalyst was the fact a blanking plate fixed to the plenum with masking tape had fallen off in the dry atmosphere.

"Masking tape is not a permanent way of fixing metal to metal, particularly on metal surfaces.

"It became detached and brought into play a leak of carbon monoxide into the living room of the house."

The council's defence lawyer, Ian Matheson, told the sheriff: "The council would like to take this opportunity to express its sincere regret at the tragic consequences of this accident."

He stressed: "It did not occur because of a failure to service the gas fittings or because of a failure to respond to faults which had been reported.

"The gas appliance had been serviced regularly and all faults reported had been promptly repaired."