A JUDGE sentenced a Mexican building expert to 208 years in prison on Wednesday for signing off on defective remodelling work blamed in the collapse of school that killed 26 people during a 2017 earthquake.

It was the longest sentence yet handed down in relation to the magnitude 7.1 quake of September 19 2017, although Mexico does not permit life imprisonment and limits sentences to 60 years.

City prosecutors said that Juan Mario Velarde, the “responsible director” of the remodelling, was convicted of 26 counts of homicide. He is one of hundreds of private experts who are paid to oversee safety and standards on building sites.