Jury for fatal gas explosion trial sworn in

A jury has been sworn in for the trial of three former gas workers accused of manslaughter after a deadly explosion at a block of flats in Jersey.

Lee Ward, 59, Neil Armstrong, 58, and John Wright, 60, have pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of gross negligence manslaughter over the deaths of 10 residents at the Haut du Mont flats in St Helier on 10 December 2022.

The manslaughter case will be combined with a health and safety case against gas company Island Energy.

The company, represented by CEO Graeme Millar, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of failing to keep people safe during the events around the explosion.

The Viscount's Office said a "significant number of people" were initially summoned to act as jurors because of "the length of the trial and the number of parties and witnesses who might be known to potential jurors".

Prospective jurors were also asked to complete a questionnaire to "identify potential conflicts of interest", which meant some were discharged from serving, with over 30 appearing on the first day of the trial, the office said.

The residents who died in the explosion were Peter Bowler, 72, Billy Marsden, 62, Derek Ellis, 61, Sylvia Ellis, 73, Ken Ralph, 72, Jane Ralph, 71, Romeu De Almeida, 67, Louise De Almeida, 64, Raymond Brown, 71, and Kathy McGinness, 73.

McGinness, who lived in a building adjacent to the Haut du Mont flats, was taken to hospital and died on Christmas Day 2022.

Det Supt Alison Fossey, who led the police investigation, described it as "the largest and most complex in the States of Jersey Police's 70-year history".

The jury has been sworn in at the Royal Court, but the case will be heard in the newly opened court room in Jubilee Wharf.

This trial is the first to be held there and is scheduled to last several weeks, with the judge telling jurors it could be about two months long.

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