Overview

• Reece Galbraith was sentenced on May 14, 2025, to 14 years in prison for the deaths of Archie York, 7, and Jason Laws, 33, in an October 2024 explosion in Benwell, Newcastle.
• The explosion occurred in a flat where Galbraith and Laws were illegally producing cannabis concentrates using highly volatile butane extraction processes.
• The blast destroyed six of the 12 flats in the block, displaced over 100 residents, and caused damages estimated at £3.7 million.
• Archie York, who was asleep in the flat above with his family, was killed, while his baby brother survived unharmed; their parents described the devastating loss in court.
• Northumbria Police continue to warn the public about the dangers of butane extraction and urge vigilance in reporting suspicious activity involving gas canisters or unusual equipment.