Gas deaths: Anger at 'legal games'
The family of two children gassed in a holiday tragedy almost three years ago have hit out after their wait for justice was prolonged for another six months.
The parents of Christianne Shepherd, seven, and her brother Robert, six, who suffered carbon monoxide poisoning in a Corfu apartment in October 2006, accused Thomas Cook of playing legal games "with the memory of our children".
Twelve defendants, including two British Thomas Cook reps, were due to be tried in connection with the tragedy but the case at Corfu Town Courthouse was postponed at the request of four of the defendants, including the two Britons.
Richard Carson, 27, and Nicola Gibson, 25, who were both holiday representatives for Thomas Cook when the incident occurred, face charges of manslaughter and negligence.
The children's parents, who had travelled to the island for the case, condemned the delay. Paul Wood, the children's stepfather, read a statement after the hearing saying: "We are all very disappointed that we will have to wait a further six months to see justice done."
He said the request for a postponement was "disrespectful" to the memories of the children.
"Unfortunately Thomas Cook led us to believe that they wouldn't request for the case to be adjourned. Therefore they continue to play legal games. They continue to play these games with the memory of our children Christi and Bobby and we find this extremely disrespectful."
Mr Wood was accompanied to the court by his wife Sharon, Christianne and Robert's mother, who was in the UK at the time of the tragedy. Her former husband Neil Shepherd and his partner Ruth Beatson, joined them on the steps of the court as he read the statement.
The children, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, were overcome by fumes while on a family holiday in Corfu. Mr Shepherd and Ms Beatson, who had taken them to Corfu, both fell into comas and were admitted to hospital, but survived.
The defendants are accused of causing manslaughter by negligence in relation to the children, and of causing bodily injury by negligence to Mr Shepherd and Ms Beatson. Ten Greeks, including staff from the Louis Corcyra Beach Hotel in Gouvia, where the family were staying, were also due to be tried.
