THE Priory hospital group faces a potential multimillion-pound fine over the death of a teenage girl in its care when the company is sentenced later.

The firm admitted breaching health and safety law following a criminal investigation into the death of 14-year-old Amy El-Keria in November 2012.

The teenager, who had a history of suicide attempts, had been sent to the group's Ticehurst House psychiatric hospital in East Sussex less than three months before.

A sentencing hearing is due to take place at Lewes Crown Court before Mr Justice James Dingemans on Wednesday.

The Priory Group faces a heavy fine after admitting a charge of being an employer failing to discharge its duty to ensure people were not exposed to health and safety risks.

At an earlier hearing, the court heard Amy was admitted to the hospital's High Dependency Unit on August 23 2012.

On November 12, at 8.15pm, she was found in her bedroom with a ligature tied around her neck and taken to Conquest Hospital in Hastings, where she died the following day after life support was withdrawn.

Prosecutor Sarah Le Fevre told the court hospital staff were not adequately trained in identifying, assessing and responding to ligature risks.

She said a ligature audit of Amy's room, carried out a few days before her death by an untrained member of staff, identified some medium risks which were not followed up.

The court also heard that a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection of the hospital in November 2011 identified ligature risk concerns, which staff had failed to remedy by the time of another inspection in June 2012.

Ms Le Fevre also claimed the hospital was aware of products available that could have been installed to make rooms safer.

At a hearing earlier this week, the court heard the Priory Group had offered "their sincere apologies to Amy's family for the failings that this case has underlined".

Her mother, Tania El-Keria, told the same hearing that she feels as though her "heart and soul is ripped out" every day as she mourns the death of her "spirited" daughter.

Ms El-Keria said she hoped for "justice for Amy" and that she could grieve when the case was finished.

"I hope that the knowledge gained from this case goes on to change what I see as a failing system and prevents future avoidable deaths," she added.