Inquest nears verdict

AN inquest into the death of three-year-old Dallas Smith is set to conclude today.

A 10-person jury finished hearing all the evidence on Friday, the fourth day of the inquiry.
Little Dallas was found dead in his bunk bed in Rochdale Road, Royton, on January 27, 2008 — the day after he had celebrated his third birthday.

Last week, pathologist Dr Gauri Batra recorded causes of death as cardiac arrhythmia — a heart condition — with no evidence of unnatural causes or a toxin.

Dallas’s mother Claire Smith had raised concerns about a faulty boiler in the toddler’s bedroom.

The boiler was deemed “not to current standards”.

Paul Cichy, a gas safety engineer with 42 years’ experience, said rating was because it did not have the right pipe, rather than because of any safety issues.

Proceeding.