Gas deaths: Anger at 'legal games'

Relatives of Robert Shepherd, six, and his sister Christianne, seven, from Wakefield, who died in a Corfu holiday apartment in October 2006, hit out at Thomas Cook after the case was postponed for another six months.

Two British Thomas Cook reps and 10 Greek citizens were due to go on trial in Corfu Town accused of manslaughter and negligence, but the case was adjourned to February next year at the request of several defendants, including Briton Richard Carson, as their legal representatives could not attend.

The family of Christianne and Robert said the delays were "disrespectful" of their children's memory. Paul Wood, the children's stepfather, read out a statement after the hearing, saying: "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."

A Thomas Cook spokeswoman confirmed a lawyer for one of the British reps was unable to attend but said it was the court's decision to fix the trial for next year. She said: "We are sorry that the decision of the court to adjourn the hearing has further upset the families of Christianne and Robert Shepherd."

Mr Wood and his wife Sharon - Robert and Christianne's mother - flew out to Corfu for the trial, as did Sharon's former husband Neil Shepherd and his partner Ruth Beatson. The couples sat together in court and then gathered on the steps of the court house as Mr Wood read the statement.

Robert and Christianne, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, were overcome by fumes while on a half-term break to Corfu. Mr Shepherd and Ms Beatson, who had taken them on the holiday, both fell into comas and were admitted to hospital, but survived.

It is believed the tragedy was caused after carbon monoxide fumes leaked from a next-door room into the bungalow apartment the family were staying in at the Louis Corcyra Beach Hotel, in Gouvia.

Mr Carson, 27, and Nicola Gibson, 25, who were both holiday representatives for Thomas Cook when the incident occurred, 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. The Greek defendants also face the same charges.

Thomas Cook said in a statement before the hearing: "We are confident that our colleagues acted properly and should not be blamed in any way. We continue to give them our full support and believe they will be vindicated by the court."