Corfu boiler that killed two British children had ‘missing parts’

Sharon Wood has blamed Thomas Cook for the death of her two children by carbon monoxide poisoning while on holiday in Corfu.
Wood blamed the tour operator when she gave evidence at the trial of Thomas Cook reps Richard Carson and Nicola Gibson, who are facing charges of manslaughter by negligence over the death’s of Wood’s children in 2006.
Christianne Shepherd, seven, and her brother Robert, six, from Yorkshire died in 2006 after breathing in poisonous fumes from a faulty gas boiler while they were staying at the Louis Corcyra Beach Hotel in Gouvia.
She told the court today: “I hold Thomas Cook totally and utterly responsible for what happened. They should have checked that the place they were sending their clients was safe.”
The children had been on holiday with their father Neil Shepherd and his partner Ruth Beatson when they died. Wood had been at home in the UK and immediately flew to Corfu after hearing the news from police in Yorkshire.
The court also heard from gas safety expert Harry Rogers, who was hired by the children’s family. He described the boiler as being “the worst installation I have witnessed in 50 years of service”.
Parasevas Paraskevas, a previous manager of the Louis Corcyra Beach Hotel, also gave evidence on the second day of the trial on Thursday.
The case against reps Carson, Gibson and nine Greek nationals is scheduled to resume on Thursday and Friday next week.