Sharon Greenham (51), and Darren Greenham (44), pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter in Heysham. Two houses on Mallowdale Avenue were damaged badly and one had collapsed. George was killed in the explosion at his home. The pre-trial review will be held on 12 August.
Paul Marsh, 54, from Heysham later appeared in court. He pleaded not guilty in the matter of damaging a gasmeter and taking gas. Marsh will face trial in October. Many vehicles were decorated using Paw Patrol characters, one George’s favorite cartoons. The youngster’s parents were among the first row of the public gallery while they watched the court proceedings.
Darren Greenham (45) was sentenced for 15 years after pleading guilty in George’s manslaughter. Greenham used an angle grinder to cut a gas pipe on his property. He planned to sell the pipework for scrap metal. George was just two years old when he was killed in the explosion at his family’s home on Mallowdale Avenue in 2021.
Stephen Hinds, George’s father, told the court Tuesday that Darren Greenham had cut a gas pipe for a few quid and that he had lost his son. “He claimed that Greenham was a dependent on drugs and alcohol, and made his neighbors’ lives miserable. Mr Hinds stated: “It makes me blood boil now. I did everything right and reported it to the police and council, but nothing was done. “
The court heard from George Hinds Death that the explosion occurred at 2.36am and caused severe damage to the house where he lived.
He stated that he had been removing all the pipework he could for several weeks, apparently because he knew where he was going and wanted to make as much money as possible selling it off. “
The court heard that the gas meter at the property was altered to allow Greenham to receive gas without having to pay for it. A report by the Health and Safety Executive following the explosion revealed that wooden floorboards were removed and that gas pipes had been deliberately cut.
