‘New trial’ over Corfu gas deaths

Christi and Bobby Shepherd

The father of two British children who died from carbon monoxide poisoning in Corfu in 2006 has won a new legal battle against travel firm Thomas Cook.

Earlier this month, a Greek court found two Thomas Cook holiday representatives not guilty of negligent manslaughter.

Neil Shepherd says he appealed against the verdicts because he believed his children, seven-year-old Christie and Bobby, six, had not received justice.

A new trial will probably be held next year.

The Greek island’s council of prosecutors ordered a retrial after deciding that vital court evidence had been ignored by the judges in the original case.

According to Mr Shepherd’s Greek lawyer, the ruling is final.

This development will come as a shock to the two accused Thomas Cook staff members, Richard Carson and Nicola Gibson, who had the allegations hanging over their heads for three and a half years.

When they were cleared of negligent manslaughter, after a protracted court procedure, Thomas Cook said the "exemplary members" of its team had been vindicated by what it called "a thorough and robust trial".

Thomas Cook said that Mr Carson and Ms Gibson had not been responsible for the faulty boiler, which caused the deaths of Bobby and his sister, Christie.

But their father, who was sent into a coma by the gas fumes, refused to accept that position.

Mr Shepherd is satisfied that his appeal has been upheld.

"Happy is not the right word," he said. "We should not be in this position."

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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