Manslaughter charges against mother and brother of North Shields fire victim are dropped after prosecution experts changed their minds

From the Newshound archive · first published 5 October 2026 · last updated 6 October 2026.

Danielle Johnson, 43, and her son Louis Casson, 19, walked free from Newcastle Crown Court on Monday after prosecutors dropped manslaughter charges arising from the January 2023 death of 18-year-old Leah Casson, killed in a blaze at her home on Vicarage Street, North Shields. A third defendant, Calvin Smith, 38, had the manslaughter charge against him dropped as well. Prosecutor Richard Wright KC apologised, acknowledging that the revised views now held by experts would have prevented any charges from being filed in the first place.

The case against all defendants collapsed after defence experts challenged the prosecution's claim that a bypassed electricity meter had ignited the fire, prompting the prosecution's own experts to revise their positions.

Johnson was given a two-year conditional discharge having pleaded guilty to abstracting electricity; Smith admitted the same offence and is awaiting sentencing.

A fourth defendant, Craig Watson, 42, who allegedly assisted Smith in arranging the electricity bypass, died in custody before the trial got under way.