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| Archie York's mother remembers Benwell blast that killed her son | Archie York's mother remembers Benwell blast that killed her son |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Archie York was killed in an explosion at a block of flats in October | Archie York was killed in an explosion at a block of flats in October |
| Seven-year-old Archie York was killed in a blast in Newcastle caused by his neighbour's illegal attempts to make cannabis sweets. As one of his killers is jailed, Archie's mother says her son's death should serve as a warning to other criminals. | Seven-year-old Archie York was killed in a blast in Newcastle caused by his neighbour's illegal attempts to make cannabis sweets. As one of his killers is jailed, Archie's mother says her son's death should serve as a warning to other criminals. |
| Shortly before 01:00 BST on 16 October, the slumbering streets of Benwell were rent by the roar of an enormous explosion. | Shortly before 01:00 BST on 16 October, the slumbering streets of Benwell were rent by the roar of an enormous explosion. |
| Katherine Errington had been asleep in her bedroom with her seven-week-old son Finley, when the pair were suddenly bombarded with and buried beneath the walls and contents of their flat. | Katherine Errington had been asleep in her bedroom with her seven-week-old son Finley, when the pair were suddenly bombarded with and buried beneath the walls and contents of their flat. |
| She initially thought she was having a nightmare, but the taste of blood in her mouth quickly confirmed this was all too real. The utter panic and confusion was replaced by a realisation she was trapped beneath the debris of her home. | She initially thought she was having a nightmare, but the taste of blood in her mouth quickly confirmed this was all too real. The utter panic and confusion was replaced by a realisation she was trapped beneath the debris of her home. |
| She could hear her baby son crying but could not find him in the darkness and destruction - his cries soon gave way to a chilling silence. | She could hear her baby son crying but could not find him in the darkness and destruction - his cries soon gave way to a chilling silence. |
| The explosion obliterated several homes on Violet Close | The explosion obliterated several homes on Violet Close |
| "I closed my eyes," Katherine recalls. "I thought 'if my son's gone, as in unalive, I'll close my eyes and whatever happens I'll not remember it, I'll be asleep'." | "I closed my eyes," Katherine recalls. "I thought 'if my son's gone, as in unalive, I'll close my eyes and whatever happens I'll not remember it, I'll be asleep'." |
| Then she heard the shouts of her partner Robbie, desperately searching for her and their baby, and she called back to him so he could zero in on her voice. | Then she heard the shouts of her partner Robbie, desperately searching for her and their baby, and she called back to him so he could zero in on her voice. |
| Katherine managed to push her foot through the bricks into the dust-filled air, Robbie seizing it gratefully and starting to frantically dig her out, also, miraculously, finding Finley alive and pulling him to safety. | Katherine managed to push her foot through the bricks into the dust-filled air, Robbie seizing it gratefully and starting to frantically dig her out, also, miraculously, finding Finley alive and pulling him to safety. |
| "I got out and looked at where my flat was supposed to be," she says. "There was nothing left of it." | "I got out and looked at where my flat was supposed to be," she says. "There was nothing left of it." |
| A pile of rubble was left by the blast | A pile of rubble was left by the blast |
| The street outside had rapidly filled with neighbours and emergency services, with Katherine and her baby quickly rushed away for medical treatment. | The street outside had rapidly filled with neighbours and emergency services, with Katherine and her baby quickly rushed away for medical treatment. |
| It was at the hospital where police officers told her the explosion had been even more devastating than she had imagined. Her eldest son, Archie, was "gone". | It was at the hospital where police officers told her the explosion had been even more devastating than she had imagined. Her eldest son, Archie, was "gone". |
| The last time she had seen him, her "perfect little boy" and Robbie had been asleep on the living room settee. | The last time she had seen him, her "perfect little boy" and Robbie had been asleep on the living room settee. |
| Archie York loved superheroes and school, his mum said | Archie York loved superheroes and school, his mum said |
| Seven-year-old Archie had been the dictionary definition of a "mischievous cheeky boy", his mum says. "He was just a normal, happy little boy." | Seven-year-old Archie had been the dictionary definition of a "mischievous cheeky boy", his mum says. "He was just a normal, happy little boy." |
| He loved superheroes, computer games and school, where "everybody loved him", Katherine says. | He loved superheroes, computer games and school, where "everybody loved him", Katherine says. |
| Archie had been overjoyed at the arrival of Finley almost two months earlier, wanting to feed him and change his nappies, maturing overnight into a proper big brother. | Archie had been overjoyed at the arrival of Finley almost two months earlier, wanting to feed him and change his nappies, maturing overnight into a proper big brother. |
| "It was just how a family should be," Katherine recalls. "It was the best seven weeks of my life." | "It was just how a family should be," Katherine recalls. "It was the best seven weeks of my life." |
| Archie was delighted to be a big brother, his family said | Archie was delighted to be a big brother, his family said |
| Within seconds, several houses on Violet Close were practically demolished and a huge fire was raging, with more than 100 people having to be evacuated from their homes. | Within seconds, several houses on Violet Close were practically demolished and a huge fire was raging, with more than 100 people having to be evacuated from their homes. |
| Initial suspicions were that it was a gas leak, a faulty boiler somewhere, but investigators quickly homed in on the activities of Katherine and Robbie's downstairs neighbour, 35-year-old Jason Laws, who was also killed in the blast, and his associate Reece Galbraith. | |
| Katherine Errington says her son's death has been devastating | Katherine Errington says her son's death has been devastating |
| "The scene was hell for almost two months," Det Ch Insp Katie Smith of Northumbria Police says, detailing the "harrowing" finger-tip searches officers had to make in the rubble in the days and weeks after the blast. | "The scene was hell for almost two months," Det Ch Insp Katie Smith of Northumbria Police says, detailing the "harrowing" finger-tip searches officers had to make in the rubble in the days and weeks after the blast. |
| A suspiciously large number of butane canisters were discovered scattered throughout the debris which, along with other industrial items such as a vacuum oven, indicated a factory making so-called shatter - a glassy-type substance used to form cannabis sweets - was operating in one of the flats. | A suspiciously large number of butane canisters were discovered scattered throughout the debris which, along with other industrial items such as a vacuum oven, indicated a factory making so-called shatter - a glassy-type substance used to form cannabis sweets - was operating in one of the flats. |
| The blast was caused by a build-up of the highly flammable butane, the gas used in the production process, which was taking place while the neighbours all slept peacefully nearby. | The blast was caused by a build-up of the highly flammable butane, the gas used in the production process, which was taking place while the neighbours all slept peacefully nearby. |
| Police found dozens of butane canisters in the rubble | Police found dozens of butane canisters in the rubble |
| "The dangers go without saying," Det Ch Insp Smith says. "[Galbraith and his associates] knew about the risks that night, it says on the side of the gas canister how highly flammable it is. | "The dangers go without saying," Det Ch Insp Smith says. "[Galbraith and his associates] knew about the risks that night, it says on the side of the gas canister how highly flammable it is. |
| "They disregarded that to make some money from drugs. | "They disregarded that to make some money from drugs. |
| "It caused utter devastation." | "It caused utter devastation." |
| Det Ch Insp Katie Smith said Galbraith and his associates knew the danger they were posing | Det Ch Insp Katie Smith said Galbraith and his associates knew the danger they were posing |
| For Katherine, finding out her son had been killed because of the illegal activities of a criminal neighbour only worsened her grief. | For Katherine, finding out her son had been killed because of the illegal activities of a criminal neighbour only worsened her grief. |
| "It sickens me that it could have been prevented," she says. "You are supposed to trust your neighbours. | "It sickens me that it could have been prevented," she says. "You are supposed to trust your neighbours. |
| "This is more upsetting for us because someone chose to do that, it was their choice, not ours." | "This is more upsetting for us because someone chose to do that, it was their choice, not ours." |
| The day she was burying her boy, 33-year-old Galbraith was in court denying being responsible for his death. | The day she was burying her boy, 33-year-old Galbraith was in court denying being responsible for his death. |
| Reece Galbraith initially denied manslaughter before changing his pleas | Reece Galbraith initially denied manslaughter before changing his pleas |
| It was only later, when confronted with the wealth of prosecution evidence against him including DNA, finger prints and mobile phone data, that Galbraith changed his plea and admitted manslaughter. | It was only later, when confronted with the wealth of prosecution evidence against him including DNA, finger prints and mobile phone data, that Galbraith changed his plea and admitted manslaughter. |
| His initial denials caused further pain and consternation for Katherine. | His initial denials caused further pain and consternation for Katherine. |
| "He's got no compassion whatsoever, no remorse for anything he has done," she says. | "He's got no compassion whatsoever, no remorse for anything he has done," she says. |
| She says her life now is indescribable, the shock and grief at the loss of Archie still all-consuming. | She says her life now is indescribable, the shock and grief at the loss of Archie still all-consuming. |
| Katherine never would have thought the routine of kissing her son goodnight and laying out his school clothes for the next morning would be obliterated in such a violent manner. | Katherine never would have thought the routine of kissing her son goodnight and laying out his school clothes for the next morning would be obliterated in such a violent manner. |
| Archie York will be remembered for being a happy cheeky boy, his family said | Archie York will be remembered for being a happy cheeky boy, his family said |
| But she is also keen to ensure he is remembered for being the "funny little cheeky boy" who "touched so many hearts" rather than for the way he was killed. | But she is also keen to ensure he is remembered for being the "funny little cheeky boy" who "touched so many hearts" rather than for the way he was killed. |
| Katherine is also keen other criminals heed what happened. | Katherine is also keen other criminals heed what happened. |
| "This should be enough to stop anyone trying to do any illegal activities," she says. | "This should be enough to stop anyone trying to do any illegal activities," she says. |
| "[Galbraith] has now got a seven-year-old's death on his hands from his choice." | "[Galbraith] has now got a seven-year-old's death on his hands from his choice." |
| BBC Sounds: 'It sickens me this could have been prevented' | BBC Sounds: 'It sickens me this could have been prevented' |
| Neither Katherine nor Robbie ever saw a future without Archie. | Neither Katherine nor Robbie ever saw a future without Archie. |
| Their son was going to be a rock for Finley, but the baby is now an only child with no memory of the brother who doted on him. | Their son was going to be a rock for Finley, but the baby is now an only child with no memory of the brother who doted on him. |
| "I don't think we will ever move on from this," Katherine says. | "I don't think we will ever move on from this," Katherine says. |
| "That day is going to haunt us to the day we die." | "That day is going to haunt us to the day we die." |
| A tribute left to Archie at the scene of the explosion as it stands today | A tribute left to Archie at the scene of the explosion as it stands today |
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