Bed boss, 37, who designed £655 cot in which a seven-month-old baby boy ‘choked to death’ is jailed for more than three years
- Craig Williams, of Rotherham, admitted a health and safety charge and fraud
- But 37-year-old was formally cleared of manslaughter over Oscar Abbey’s death
- Dangerous design of Oscar’s bed built with ‘no thought or care’ for child safety
- Williams admitted a health and safety charge and fraud at Leeds Crown Court
Craig Williams, 37, from Rotherham, admitted a health and safety charge and fraud
A bed company boss who designed a cot in which a seven-month-old baby ‘choked to death’ was today jailed for three years and four months.
Craig Williams, 37, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, the owner of Playtime Beds, admitted a health and safety charge and fraud – but was formally cleared of manslaughter over Oscar Abbey’s death.
The dangerous design of Oscar’s bed, built with ‘no thought or care’ for the safety of the child sleeping in it, was blamed for the infant choking to death.
And a second child came close to hanging herself from one of the beds designed by Williams, the jury was told.
Oscar, from York, became trapped by his neck after wriggling through a hole in the £655 bed’s side and choked.
It has now emerged that just months earlier in 2016 a toddler ‘almost hanged herself’ in a similar accident involving a bed from the same firm.
The parents of the baby boy found him dead with his head through the bars of this £665 cot
Williams admitted failing to discharge an employer’s general duty of care and fraud by false representation
She was found by her mother in a similar position, with her body through the gap and her neck stuck.
Williams admitted failing to discharge an employer’s general duty of care. He also admitted fraud by false representation and was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court.