Blast suspect refused bail

Andrew Partington

THE man charged over the Shaw blast that killed two-year-old Jamie Heaton and caused over a million pounds worth of damage is to stay in prison until his trial, a court has decided.

Andrew Partington (27) appeared at Manchester Crown Court via videolink yesterday and was told he will not be bailed before his trial on charges of manslaughter and criminal damage.

Partington struggling to walk because of his blast injuries, spoke from Forest Bank Prison only to confirm his name. He will appear in court on November 21, but the trial is not due until February.

A 32-year-old gas fitter arrested after the June 26 explosion on suspicion of manslaughter has been eliminated from police inquiries.

Partington suffered 40 per cent burns and a broken back in the blast. He was in an induced coma until recently and was discharged from Wythenshawe Hospital on Monday.



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