A man whose illegal cannabis factory exploded in a block of flats, killing seven-year-old Archie York, has been jailed for 14 years.
Archie died when the blast caused by Reece Galbraith, 33, obliterated several homes in Benwell in the early hours of 16 October 2024, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
The fatal explosion was caused by a build-up of butane created in the process of making drug-infused sweets in one of the flats by Jason Laws, 35, who was also killed, and Galbraith.
Galbraith, of Gateshead, admitted two counts of manslaughter, with Archie’s mother screaming at him in court that he had killed her son.
Mr Laws and Galbraith were using a ground-floor flat in the block of 12 homes on Violet Close to make so-called cannabis shatter, a brittle substance containing a high concentration of the psychoactive compound THC which is used to form sweets from, prosecutor David Brooke KC said.
At about 00:40 BST, their “sophisticated” factory exploded, killing Archie, who lived upstairs with his parents and baby brother, and totally destroying six homes, the court heard.
Family handoutThere was then a “fierce fire” and the block ultimately had to be demolished, with dozens of people losing their homes and possessions, Mr Brooke said.
Archie had been asleep in his living room when the blast occurred and was killed instantly, while his father Robbie York, mother Katherine Errington and seven-week-old brother Finley all survived, the court heard.
Mr Brooke said there had also been an “enormous impact” on the local area, with the damage and costs to Newcastle City Council valued at £3.7m, 81 adults and 59 children from 51 homes displaced and 10 households having to be permanently rehoused.
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