Former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship sentenced to 12 months in jail

The 66-year-old was convicted of conspiring to violate federal safety standards following a mine explosion in which 29 people died

Mr Blankenship was also fined $250,000 (Getty)

The former head of a major mining company has been sentenced to 12 months in prison, six years after an explosion which left 29 people dead.

Don Blankenship, the 66-year-old ex-CEO, was handed down a $250,000 fine by US District Judge Irene C Berger in West Virginia.

He was acquitted of more serious counts of lying to investors and regulators and was only convicted on one misdemeanor count of conspiring to violate federal safety laws.

The conspiracy resulted in Massey’s Upper Big Branch mine exploding on 5 April 2010, leaving many dead and scarring a state that so heavily relied on the coal mining industry.

It was said to be the most deadly accident in coal mining of the last four decades, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The ruling in December 2015 was said to be the first CEO of a major US company being convicted of workplace safety related charges following an industrial accident.

Mr Blankenship “pushed and he pushed and he pushed, and laws were intentionally broken,” said R. Booth Goodwin, the federal prosecutor, in closing arguments.