A man has denied killing two people in a house explosion allegedly linked to the production of cannabis.
Reece Galbraith, 33, denied the manslaughter of seven-year-old Archie York and Jason’Jay’ Laws, 35, who died in a blast in Violet Close, Benwell, Newcastle, in the early hours of October 16.
Appearing at Newcastle Crown Court via a videolink, he also denied producing cannabis and a charge of supplying the class B drug from April 15 to October 17 last year.
Galbraith, of Rectory Road, Gateshead, was told his trial, expected to last seven days, will begin on May 12.
Jason’s brother Joseph Laws wrote in a tribute post on Facebook he would be telling his two children that he was the ‘best dad in the world’ as they grew up.
They said: ‘Archie was not only our son but our best friend. He lit up every room he went in, whether that was with his cheeky smile he was known for or some of his cheeky words.
‘We are so broken as a family, but Archie will live on in his baby brother Finley who is the spitting image of him.
‘He might have been small but he had a heart of gold, everyone loved him.’
The couple described their son’s death as a ‘nightmare’, but thanked people who have paid tribute to Archie.
‘We would also like to thank everyone who shared their love with Archie at his balloon release, everyone did him proud,’ they said.
‘As a whole we are still wanting to wake up from this nightmare, but Archie knows he will be in our hearts forever and always.
‘We love you Archie York.’
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