A man has been sentenced to 14 years for causing an explosion while making "cannabis gummies" which killed a seven-year-old boy sleeping in the flat above.
Reece Galbraith, 33, has admitted the manslaughter of schoolboy Archie York and his friend 35-year-old Jason "Jay" Laws following the blast in Violet Close, Benwell, last October.
The blast wrecked the street, rendered families homeless and led to a major emergency services response.
Archie was in bed asleep when the blast ripped through the home he shared with parents Katherine and Robbie and his baby brother Finley.
The blast wrecked the street, rendered families homeless and led to a major emergency services response
PA
Cannabis sweets produced in the dangerous process which Galbraith used
PA
Galbraith was badly injured in the incident and according to his solicitor, was lucky to survive. He was placed in an induced coma for a week and spent a month in hospital.
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 Galbraith and Laws, who was also killed as a result.
Northumbria Police launched a major inquiry following the devastating explosion and discovered that the flat operated by Galbraith and Laws was used as a "drugs lab" to produce cannabis concentrates – known as "shatter" or "butane honey oil" in a highly dangerous process.
After police stopped Galbraith’s car in April last year and found drugs, officers then searched his home and moulds to make cannabis sweets were discovered.
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Archie York, seven, was killed in the explosionFamily handout
Galbraith was badly injured in the incident and according to his solicitor, was lucky to survive
PAHe was released pending further investigation.
Analysis of his mobile phone showed 80 text messages relating to the sale of cannabis sweets.
Archie's mother, Katherine Errington, previously told the Newcastle Chronicle news site: "As a parent and as a mother you try your best to keep your children safe, and that was took out of my hands.
"When they are in the house, that’s supposed to be the safest place."
Some of the 100 gas canisters used to make cannabis gummy sweets
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Body cam footage of officers arresting Galbraith
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Errington told the court her son's death had "broken us in ways I didn't know possible" and the family had "lost everything", adding she felt "survivor's guilt".
She angrily told Galbraith he "took risks for profit" before screaming at him: "You killed my son."
"This was your choice," Errington said. "We will never forgive you for what you did to our beautiful boy."
The court also heard that Archie's beloved dog Chase had also been killed in the blast.
Galbraith suffered severe injuries in the explosion that killed Archie and Laws. His defence lawyer said: "He doesn't have full use of his arms due to burns. He is weak and feeble."
Before the incident, Galbraith had been in regular employment in construction until the age of 31.
