Man pleads guilty to manslaughter after toddler died in gas explosion
Two year old George Hinds died in blast in Heysham in May 2021
A man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter following a gas explosion at a house in Heysham in which a toddler died.
Lancashire Police were called to reports of an explosion on Mallowdale Avenue at about 2.40am on May 16, 2021.
Emergency services attended and found two houses collapsed with serious damage to a third property.
Tragically toddler George Arthur Hinds, aged two years and 10 months, died as a result of the blast. Our thoughts remain with his loved ones.
George’s parents were also injured, although not seriously. They were taken to hospital for treatment and later discharged. They continue to be supported by specially trained officers.
A criminal investigation was launched in the days following the explosion and detectives, assisted by gas experts, identified the cause of the explosion as a gas pipe which had been cut inside number 20 Mallowdale Avenue.
In October, Lancashire Police made four arrests in connection with the investigation and in Decembver Sharon Greenham, 52, and Darren Greenham, 44, both of Ambleside Avenue, Lancaster were charged with manslaughter and theft from a meter / automatic machine.
Today (August 24) Darren Greenham appeared before Judge Robert Altham, The Honorary Recorder of Preston, and pleaded guilty to the manslaughter and theft offences. He was remanded back into custody to be sentenced at a later date.
Sharon Greenham is set to stand trial at Preston Crown Court on October 4.