Drug maker who killed boy, 7, in explosion jailed

A antheral whose amerciable cannabis mill exploded successful a artifact of flats, sidesplitting seven-year-old Archie York, has been jailed for 14 years.

Archie died erstwhile the blast caused by Reece Galbraith, 33, obliterated respective homes successful Benwell successful the aboriginal hours of 16 October 2024, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

The fatal detonation was caused by a build-up of butane created successful the process of making drug-infused sweets successful 1 of the flats by Jason Laws, 35, who was besides killed, and Galbraith.

Galbraith, of Gateshead, admitted 2 counts of manslaughter, with Archie's parent screaming astatine him successful tribunal that helium had killed her son.

Mr Laws and Galbraith were utilizing a ground-floor level successful the artifact of 12 homes connected Violet Close to marque alleged cannabis shatter, a brittle substance containing a precocious attraction of the psychoactive compound THC which is utilized to signifier sweets from, authoritative David Brooke KC said.

At astir 00:40 BST, their "sophisticated" mill exploded, sidesplitting Archie, who lived upstairs with his parents and babe brother, and wholly destroying six homes, the tribunal heard.

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