Latest news with #Latewood
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
Nursery worker admits manslaughter after death of 14-month-old baby
Noah Sibanda died after an incident at Dudley's Fairytales Day Nursery on December 9, 2022. A nursery worker has admitted to manslaughter following the death of a 14-month-old baby. Kimberley Cookson admitted one count of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the death of Noah Sibanda. The tot died after an incident at Dudley's Fairytales Day Nursery on December 9, 2022, The Mirror reports. Cookson, 22, appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court, alongside business owner Deborah Latewood, 54, on Tuesday. Latewood pleaded not guilty to failing to comply with a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to ensure that Noah and others were not exposed to risk between November 29 and December 9, 2022. A plea of not guilty was also entered on behalf of the firm which ran the now-closed nursery, to one count of corporate manslaughter, including an alleged failure to ensure that children in the baby room were put down to sleep in a safe way, failure to ensure that staff were adequately trained to put babies down to sleep and failure to ensure staff were adequately supervised while doing so. The firm also pleaded not guilty to failing to comply with a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to ensure that Noah and others were not exposed to risk between November 29 and December 9 2022. Cookson and Latewood spoke only to confirm their date of birth and to enter their pleas in front of the courtroom, which was packed with members of Noah's family and supporters of the defendants. Judge Michael Chambers KC said Latewood and the company would face a trial, likely to be in 2026, but did not set a date. Cookson will be sentenced upon conclusion of the trial, which is expected to last three weeks and both Cookson and Latewood were released on unconditional bail until the next hearing. Judge Chambers said: 'In your case, Kimberley Cookson, you have had the courage to plead guilty and will get the appropriate credit for that plea. "I am adjourning your sentencing until the conclusion of the trial, so the judge will have all the facts of the case.' He warned both defendants that if they did not appear for their trial, they could face further criminal proceedings. A pre-trial review hearing was set for December 5.
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Nursery worker admits manslaughter after death of 14-month-old boy
Kimberley Cookson today pleaded guilty to one count of gross negligence manslaughter after little Noah Sibanda died at Dudley's Fairytales Day Nursery aged just 14 months old A nursery worker has admitted to manslaughter in connection with the death of a 14-month-old boy. Kimberley Cookson today pleaded guilty to one count of gross negligence manslaughter following the death of Noah Sibanda, who died after an incident at Dudley's Fairytales Day Nursery on December 9, 2022. The 22 year old appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court, alongside business owner Deborah Latewood, 54. Latewood pleaded not guilty to failing to comply with a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to ensure that Noah and others were not exposed to risk between November 29 and December 9, 2022. A plea of not guilty was also entered on behalf of the firm which ran the now-closed nursery, to one count of corporate manslaughter, including an alleged failure to ensure that children in the baby room were put down to sleep in a safe way, failure to ensure that staff were adequately trained to put babies down to sleep and failure to ensure staff were adequately supervised while doing so. The company also pleaded not guilty to failing to comply with a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to ensure that Noah and others were not exposed to risk between November 29 and December 9 2022. Cookson, who wore a green shirt, and Latewood, who wore a white shirt and a grey blazer, spoke only to confirm their date of birth and to enter their pleas in front of the courtroom, which was packed with members of Noah's family and supporters of the defendants. Judge Michael Chambers KC said Latewood and the company would face a trial, likely to be in 2026, but did not set a date. Cookson will be sentenced upon conclusion of the trial, which is expected to last three weeks and both Cookson and Latewood were released on unconditional bail until the next hearing. Judge Chambers said: 'In your case, Kimberley Cookson, you have had the courage to plead guilty and will get the appropriate credit for that plea. I am adjourning your sentencing until the conclusion of the trial, so the judge will have all the facts of the case.' He warned both defendants that if they did not appear for their trial, they could face further criminal proceedings. A pre-trial review hearing was set for December 5.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Nursery worker and owner appear in court in connection with child's death
A nursery worker and a business owner have appeared before magistrates charged in connection with the death of a 14-month-old boy. Nursery worker Kimberley Cookson and business owner Deborah Latewood both saw the case against them transferred to Wolverhampton Crown Court after a seven-minute hearing at Dudley Magistrates' Court on Tuesday. Cookson, aged 22, did not enter a formal plea to the gross negligence manslaughter of Noah Sibanda, who died after an incident at Dudley's Fairytales Day Nursery on December 9 2022. The firm which ran the now-closed nursery, based in Bourne Street, has also been charged with one count of corporate manslaughter, including an alleged failure to ensure that children in the baby room were put down to sleep in a safe way. Both Latewood, aged 54, and the company also face a charge of failing to comply with a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to ensure that Noah and others were not exposed to risk between November 29 and December 9 2022. The corporate manslaughter charge alleges that Noah was unlawfully killed in that the nursery failed to take reasonable care by 'failing to ensure that children in the baby room would be put down to sleep in a safe way' and also failed to ensure staff doing so were adequately trained and supervised. The charge also alleges that the 'breach of duty fell far below what could have been reasonably be expected in the circumstances' and 'was a substantial cause of the death of Noah'. The court heard formal pleas could not be entered to either manslaughter or corporate manslaughter at the magistrates' court, with the offences only triable on a Crown Court indictment. Latewood made no indication of plea on behalf of herself of the company. Magistrates granted unconditional bail to the defendants, who are both from Dudley, and ordered them to appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on June 10.
