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Atherstone on Stour Fire

Two senior firefighters have been found not guilty in the trial into the death of four fire fighters, Ashley Stephens, Darren Yates-Badley, John Averis and Ian Reid, who died at a warehouse blaze in 2007 in Atherstone on Stour.

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Warwickshire Fire call for Home Office investigation

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Chief Fire Officers Association are calling for a formal investigation into why Warwickshire fire fighters Timothy Woodward and Adrian Ashley were prosecuted for alleged manslaughter.

The decision follows the acquittal of the fire officers who faced four counts of manslaughter following the deaths of four of their colleagues at a warehouse fire in Atherstone-on-Stour, Warwickshire in 2007.

“I am very pleased that the case against our three Incident Commanders has socomprehensively collapsed. I expected nothing less. It is now clear that these cases should never have been brought to court. I am relieved that their ordeal is over but I also feel a sense of sorrow and remembrance for the four brave fire fighters who died at Atherstone-on-Stour in 2007. We will now be seeking assurances from ministers that prosecutions like this never happen again.”

– Graeme Smith, Chief Fire Officer for Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service

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