A ‘neighbor from hell’ sentenced to 15 years in prison for causing a massive gas explosion that killed a ‘beautiful’ two-year-old boy and destroyed two homes by cutting a gas pipe to sell for scrap metal.
In the early hours of May 16, 2017, Darren Greenham, 45, used an angle grinder to break the pipe, resulting in a massive explosion that killed George Hinds in Lancashire.
George’s family resided at the adjacent residence on Mallowdale Avenue in Heysham, Lancashire. The explosion destroyed a total of 55 houses in the vicinity.
Four people, including his distraught parents, Vicky Studholme and Stephen Hinds, were injured when the fireball raced through their semi-detached home, and a third property was severely damaged as well.
In August, Greenham pled guilty to homicide, breaking a gas meter, and theft of gas; he was sentenced to prison today.
Wednesday at Preston Crown Court, Recorder of Preston Judge Robert Altham sentenced him for manslaughter, stating that Mr. Greenham was a selfish and disruptive neighbor.
He spent his life without concern for the comfort of those unfortunate enough to live in close proximity to him.
George’s father, Stephen Hinds, held a Paw Patrol toy while he and George’s mother, Vicki Studholme, and several other neighbors watched the sentencing from the public gallery.
A ‘neighbor from hell’ caused a massive gas explosion that killed George Hinds, a ‘beautiful’ two-year-old boy (pictured)
Darren Greenham, 45, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in August after pleading guilty to homicide, destroying a gas meter, and theft of gas.
The court commended the dignity of George’s parents, who have been living in a caravan since the explosion, and shared their ‘incomprehension’ that someone could put so many lives at risk for the sake of stealing ‘a few lengths of copper pipe’
Following today’s sentencing, Lancashire Police stated, ‘Darren is a really selfish and evil man whose primary purpose leading up to the tragic explosion was money avarice.’ His irresponsible behavior resulted in the death of a wholly innocent toddler, the ruin of multiple homes, and damage totaling £100,000.
“No punishment can ever make up for the loss of George’s life or represent the sorrow and suffering Darren has inflicted,” the judge said.
No one should put their child to bed at night in a safe location and never see them again alive. We are thinking of George and his family.
Greenham, who shown little emotion in the dock, was given concurrent one-month terms for breaking the gas meter and gas theft.
Police in Lancashire stated, “Darren is a very greedy and evil man whose primary goal in the lead up to the tragic explosion was money avarice.”
Yesterday at the Preston Crown Court hearing, George’s father, Stephen Hinds, stated, “By Darren Greenham cutting a gas pipe to generate money, I have lost my kid, my utter everything.”
Greenham, who was dependent on drink and drugs, allegedly made the lives of his neighbors “miserable” by playing music till the wee hours of the morning and insulting George.
Mr. Hinds, who wore a blue Paw Patrol tie and brought a Paw Patrol toy into the witness box, stated, “It makes my blood boil now, because I always did the right thing and reported it to the council and the police, but nothing was ever done.”
Vicki Studholme, the mother of George, stated in a statement that she felt insecure in her house due to Greenham, a ‘neighbor from hell’ who allegedly made threats of violence against her, her husband, and their son.
She stated, “I do feel that the council and the police let us down, even though we reported this multiple times, and the death of my lovely baby boy could have been prevented.”
She continued, “Being trapped in the rubble after the explosion was the most terrifying experience of my life.”
When I got at the hospital, I was informed that George had died.
Never before in my life had I felt so terrified as I did at that moment.
45-year-old Darren Greenham (pictured) used an angle grinder to break the pipe in the early hours of May 16, 2012, resulting in a massive explosion that killed George Hinds in Lancashire.
The court heard that the explosion at 2:36 a.m. destroyed the property held by the Lancashire County Council where Greenham resided and severely damaged two adjacent terraced houses. 55 properties in the region sustained damage.
At the time of the massive explosion, witnesses reported hearing a sound “like a bomb going off,” which caused debris to blanket adjacent streets and fields.
The prosecutor, Timothy Cray KC, stated that the council was considering eviction proceedings against Greenham at the time of the explosion due to a number of complaints about his behavior.
He stated, “He had been removing as much plumbing as he could for weeks, ostensibly because he knew he was leaving and wanted to profit from selling it as scrap.”
The court heard that the gas meter on the property had been tampered with so that Greenham could receive gas for free.
After the explosion, a probe by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that hardwood flooring had been removed from the first-floor landing and gas pipes had been cut on purpose.
The court heard that the 2.36am explosion demolished the property held by Lancashire County Council where Greenham resided and severely damaged the two adjacent terraced properties (pictured: emergency workers at the scene)
Prior to the explosion, there would have been a significant gas odor and loud boom, according to the research, which is believed to have occurred 20 to 40 minutes after the lines were severed.
Peter Glenser KC, the defense attorney, stated that Greenham was sober for the first time in “many, many years” while awaiting sentencing.
He stated, “With this abstinence has come clarity and insight that he lacked during all his years of alcohol and drug abuse, and this clarity and insight has allowed him to recognize for the first time how much damage he has caused.”
Greenham, who sustained a severe head injury and lost most of the use of his right hand in the explosion, pleaded guilty in August to manslaughter, causing damage to a gas meter, and stealing gas.
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