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A GAS FITTER who pleaded guilty to manslaughter by gross negligence of two school friends has been sentenced to four years in prison, with two years suspended.
George Brown was also fined £19,000 at Belfast Magistrates Court today.
Aaron Davidson and Neil McFerran, both 18, died from carbon monoxide poisoning at a flat in Castlerock, county Derry in August 2010.
A third man, Mathew Gaw, survived after family member broke into the apartment.
In giving his ruling today, the judge acknowledged all of the circumstances surrounding the incident but added that no sentence will ever bring the two young men back.
Brown’s firm had put in a new gas boiler at the holiday apartment where the two victims were staying. During their time in the property, the flue from the boiler became dislodged and emitted the lethal toxin.
An investigation was started by the PSNI and the Health and Safety Executive NI’s Gas Safety Inspection team found that sections of the flue were not secured properly at the bend (pictured). Screws were missing and the sections did not slot into each other properly.
Brown admitted to two charges of manslaughter and a further 19 counts of failing to comply with health and safety legislation.
“The case should serve as a warning to anyone working on gas appliances and systems that by law they must be on the Gas Safe Register – and have the correct qualifications and competence for the work they are carrying out,” said the HSENI’s Louis Burns.
“The tragic and untimely deaths of Neil and Aaron from carbon monoxide poisoning serve as a potent reminder of the dangers this deadly gas poses.”
The victims were both 18 years old and on holiday after completing their A Levels.
The PSNI thanked the families for their “relentless bravery and the unequivocal support that they gave to all the various stages of this extensive investigation”.
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Terrible sad on everyone involved :(
Anyone who never made a mistake, has never made anything. But how vastly the consequences can vary from the same type of mistake in two different scenarios is a really cruel fact. Sad for all involved me thinks.
There are regulations in place to prevent such shoddy workmanship in this field. Inexcusable. It’s not like having a go at painting and splashing a bit on the skirting board
If only you could regulate against human error, it’s always been there and it always will.
Every rented accommodation holiday or otherwise should be fitted with a carbon monoxide detector.
The judge heard all of the evidence and had the full reports from the varoius investigation bodies. I think that puts him in a better position than than armchair commentators when it comes to sentencing.
Comments should be closed.
Paul nobody is forcing you to read comments
Glen,
There’s an ongoing trial in this jurisdiction.
Had it anything to do with this one or is it similar.
Not with these people
Sam Aritan called it above.
He said similar not ongoing
Yes,
I have reported my own comment to thejournal.ie with a request that comments be closed.
This is why.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/plumber-returned-for-trial-over-death-of-woman-in-kinsale-hotel-1.1548926
I hope you see the reason now, and that comments be closed and removed.
Paul
Point taking after reading that. It could hinder a jury’s decision … Good call!
This is a different case so your request is completely unreasonable. Maybe you should move to China where they are more obliging with censorship
Dauhee,
Your publicly debating an issue that may shortly be going before a jury. It’s not censorship, I’m attempting to avert an issue which could affect the outcome of a trial.
Dan,
Thejournal removed links on the St.Patricks day assault for fear of compromising a trial.
What would you like to say about this story that doesn’t make you look stupid?
I actually was hinting at it in my post above, Paul. in fact, when i saw the comments were open my first thought was of surprise.
I’m assuming they are closely monitoring the thread just in case some dope decides to spout about other ones down south.
But it was risky on the Journal’s behalf I would have thought.
Separate cases. If a murder trial had just been concluded should comments be blocked for fear of compromising other on going murder cases?
Paul, you’re the one that keeps bringing up the case-that-shouldn’t-be-uttered. Maybe you could just stop trying to create an issue??????
If a jury has to be selected, why give the defence fuel to apply for a mistrial?
Paul, I am sure the defence lawyers will point out any risk of undue prejudice caused by media reports on the matter and the judge will make the call as to whether it has or not
Sorry didn’t see that comment there
I understand that, Dave. But the Journal is not monitored 24/7.
I would take a different immediate view to Paul (albeit slightly) in that I would have thought the Journal were the ones taking the risk of some dope coming on here and talking about similar ongoing cases in our own jurisdiction.
Either way, it is risky for them. But it’s their call, not mine.
As long as the comments are not out of bounds, I welcome the thread being open.
We’ve had similar cases down South too. Tragic.
The sentencing sounds incredibly lenient to me. I understand it’s a manslaughter charge, but two years for two teenaged deaths. I see it as no different to drink driving and causing deaths. Or gross negligence causing deaths.
No different to drink driving? this guy made a mistake at work and people died, tragic for everyone involved. nothing like drink driving.
No he did not make a mistake, he is a gas safe registered fitter & will be all to aware of the consequences of cutting corners when carrying out this type in installation, unfortunately this type of thing is happening to frequently, I have seen it before in London & in a hotel of all places, where an existing flue was modified to join onto a new gas boiler installation, tape was used to make up the shortfall between the boiler & flue, & to use that engineering term – it was a bodge job. In this case two young people are dead because of carelessness, which could have been avoided by carrying out the correct checks on completion or using a flue specialist to make sure everything was working in a safe manner.
“An investigation was started by the PSNI and the Health and Safety Executive NI’s Gas Safety Inspection team found that sections of the flue were not secured properly at the bend (pictured). Screws were missing and the sections did not slot into each other properly.”
That’s not a mistake. If screws were found to be missing in an airplane and people were killed, I don’t think one would call it a mistake.
Manslaughter is a fair judgement but I think he should of got 5 years and not a day less.
It’s the law to install a Carbon monoxide alarm on all new boiler installs and only a fool would not install one as it can save a life. €20 that’s all
poor workmanship is the scourge of this country..two years is a good verdict.
have your say