The gas engineer has been sentenced today for the the manslaughter of his family.

Matthew Eteson has today been sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, for the manslaughter of his partner Kelly Webster and her daughter Lauren Thornton.  He was found guilty in October after a trial at Preston Crown Court.

Kelly and Lauren were found dead in the sleeping compartment on board Matthew Eteson’s boat on Lake Windermere during the Easter weekend on 1st April 2013.   The cause of death was poisoning by carbon monoxide from the exhaust system of a generator which Matthew  Eteson had installed on board.

Matthew Eteson was a registered and experienced Gas Safe installer.  Shortly before the Easter weekend he fabricated an exhaust system for the generator and used the  generator to power a fan heater in the passenger quarters while Kelly, Lauren and Mr Eteson slept.  The exhaust system was poorly designed and poorly constructed, using unsuitable materials.  The generator was not secured or anchored to the floor and joints in the exhaust pipework were very poorly fabricated.  The temperatures generated caused the pipework to fail as soft soldered joints melted , and as a result the exhaust gases containing carbon monoxide were discharged into the boat.

 In addition to the poor standard of work, the defendant neglected to test this system in the circumstances and under the electrical load for which he intended to use it. He was also aware that the carbon monoxide detectors on the boat had been disabled.

 Joanna White, Senior Crown Prosecutor from CPS North West Complex Casework Unit said:

 “As a registered gas fitter, Matthew Eteston knew the dangers of carbon monoxide and knew the risk of death if the pipework designed to evacuate the exhaust gases failed.  Tragically, the poor design and construction of the work he carried out on the exhaust system directly led to the deaths of Kelly Webster and Lauren Thornton.

 “This case should act as a warning about the terrible consequences of such a poor standard of work in the installation of appliances. Although Matthew Eteson did not intend to cause their deaths, the jury, who heard all the evidence, found that Kelly and Lauren lost their lives because of his gross negligence, and the obvious dangers that he created.  They therefore found him criminally responsible for their deaths.

 “Our thoughts and sympathies are with Kelly and Lauren’s families and friends at this time, who have been left devastated by their deaths.”