Nursery worker admits manslaughter after death of 14-month-old boy
Business owner Deborah Latewood, 54, appeared alongside Cookson in the dock and 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 entered on behalf of the firm which ran the now-closed nursery, based in Bourne Street, 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.
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ITV News
a day ago
- ITV News
Teenager found guilty of murder of Noah Smedley in Ilkeston
CCTV footage shows Charles Hartle, who was 17 at the time, holding a large knife before running away. A Derbyshire teenager has been found guilty of murdering a young man when he stabbed him once in the chest with a "Rambo knife". Following a near-two-week trial at Derby Crown Court, a jury took less than three hours to unanimously convict Charlie Hartle of the brutal killing of Noah 18-year-old rap music lover, who was 17 at the time he attacked his victim, initially showed no emotion as the foreman of the jury delivered the verdict in front of family members of the Ilkeston victim and the defendant's own loved ones. But within a minute of hearing the news, he leaned forward and began to softly sob, holding his head in his Hartle, of Station Road, Stanley Village, into custody and adjourning sentence until the afternoon of Friday, August 22, Judge Shaun Smith KC said: 'I am not going to sentence you today or in the immediate future as I will guess the defence will need (psychiatric) reports."The starting point for a youth who took a knife to the scene is 23 years and (you were) 17 at the time. You have been found guilty by the jury and you have heard what the consequences are."The judge also said he wishes to give High Sheriff's Awards to those people who tried to save Mr Smedley's life at the scene. The trial heard how Hartle, nicknamed 'Lil Cee', and three friends arranged to meet Mr Smedley to buy cannabis from him on the evening of December 28, last year. The victim arrived on his scooter at around 8.15pm and after the deal had taken place, in Rose Avenue, off Heanor Road, Ilkeston, the defendant moved forward and pushed the fearsome blade into the victim's chest before he and his friends fled the played during the trial showed Mr Smedley stagger into the road and collapse. Despite the best efforts of passers-by and paramedics who tried to keep him alive, he was declared dead at the scene a short time the trial, prosecutor Adrian Langdale KC said one of Hartle's friends who was at the scene later said: "Charlie looked at Noah. He pulled up his balaclava at the time. 'We didn't realise anything was gonna happen and they just stared at each other for about one second. It was not really, like, a stare that you should be concerned about. "It was a stare where they just looked at each other by a glance, really. And that's when it happened, he pulled out his knife in an instant, and just stabbed Noah with it.'The prosecutor said another witness said: 'Charlie pulled his balaclava down so his mouth was on show. He gave a big smile, like a full-tooth smile, stabbed Noah, and ran straight off."Mr Langdale, when he opened the trial, said: 'It was this defendant who produced the knife that was secreted in his tracksuit bottoms. "He had a balaclava that he deliberately pulled down over his face, and moved forward to Noah. He grinned and smiled before deliberately stabbing him in the chest. "Noah Smedley, the deceased, did absolutely nothing, he wasn't himself armed, he didn't offer any violence, there was no good reason for killing him."'The Crown will say it was an utterly pointless killing, other than this defendant's unhealthy interest in knives and habitual carrying of such lethal weapons and a bravado to try and show others he was, to use the street term, some kind of big man."This week, Hartle chose not to give any evidence in his jury of seven women and five men heard how following the fatal stabbing, Hartle first went to a nearby party where his girlfriend was and then fled to Derby before his father drove to the city centre and brought him home to Stanley. The accused was wearing different clothing to what he had on at the time of the stabbing and the knife and his phone were not on him and have never been defendant was then driven to Ilkeston police station where he was arrested for murder. Mr Langdale said in a prepared statement given to the police who questioned him: "Firstly, I accept responsibility for inflicting the injury on Noah Smedley. There is a history to this, and Noah and I did not get on.'He has, in the past, made numerous threats to me and made disparaging comments. He has threatened me with violence. "I know he sold drugs and often those that do arm themselves as a matter of routine. I saw him reach for his waistband.'I immediately feared serious violence from him and that he had a knife. I was petrified that he was about to lunge at me.'In that split second, I instinctively lashed out with the knife I had, in self-defence. I did not aim it anywhere. It was simply a reaction. I never intended causing serious harm. I then sprinted away from the situation.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Teenager who fatally stabbed man with rambo-style knife after drug deal found guilty of murder
A balaclava-clad teenager who had an 'unhealthy interest' in knives has been found guilty of the murder of an 18-year-old man. Charles Hartle, who was 17 at the time, grinned before fatally stabbing Noah Smedley through the heart with a Rambo-style knife. He carried out the 'utterly pointless killing' on a dark street in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, on the evening of December 28 last year, with the knife he kept hidden in his tracksuit bottoms. Hartle, of Station Road, Stanley, was found guilty of murdering Mr Smedley on Friday, after a two-week trial at Derby Crown Court, Derbyshire Police said. Prosecution counsel Adrian Langdale KC said that as Hartle moved towards Mr Smedley, he 'grinned or smiled before deliberately aiming for and stabbing him in the chest'. The court was told that Hartle and his friends had arranged to meet Mr Smedley, who arrived at the scene on an electric scooter and sold them cannabis. Mr Langdale said the defendant regularly carried a Rambo-style knife for 'the kudos and bravado' and to show others he was a 'big man'. Derbyshire Police said Hartle, who liked to go by the nickname Lil Cee, went to meet his girlfriend at a house party after stabbing Mr Smedley in the heart. Witnesses at the party reportedly saw him confess to her what he had done and produce the knife, which has never been recovered. Hartle then travelled to Derby city centre to distance himself from the scene, where Mr Smedley had been found by members of the public at about 8.20pm. He was pronounced dead just before 9pm. In the hours after the murder, Hartle disposed of his clothing, the knife, and his phone, before eventually handing himself in at Ilkeston police station. In a prepared statement given to police, Hartle said he accepted inflicting the injury on Mr Smedley but felt he had acted in self-defence. He said: 'There is a history to this, and Noah and I did not get on. He has, in the past, made numerous threats to me and made disparaging comments. He has threatened me with violence. 'I was petrified that he was about to lunge at me. In that split second, I instinctively lashed out with the knife I had, in self-defence.' Detective Constable Emma Barnes-Marriott, of Derbyshire Police, said: 'Noah was an unarmed teenager, who was simply meeting with friends on the night Charles Hartle decided to end his life. 'Noah did not threaten Hartle and showed nothing but friendliness towards him that evening, and yet he was brutally murdered. 'Charles Hartle is a callous and calculating young man, who has shown no recognition or remorse for taking another teenager's life. 'He carried a knife with the intention to use it, over what appears to be a petty disagreement that only he was aware of, and a sense of bravado. 'I'd like to thank Noah's family for their support during our investigation and the trial. 'No family should have to go through the ordeal of losing a loved one, especially at such a young age, and to have to relive their last moments at trial is an additional blow that Hartle could have spared them from. 'Instead, despite overwhelming evidence, he remained silent and refused to take responsibility for Noah's murder. 'I know that nothing will bring Noah back but hope that today's verdict has provided his family with some comfort that justice has been done.' Hartle will be sentenced at Derby Crown Court on August 22.
Metro
2 days ago
- Metro
Boy guilty of 'pointless' murder after stabbing victim, 18, through the heart
A boy who carried a Rambo-style knife to show others he was a 'big man' has been found guilty of murdering another teenager. Charles Hartle was 17 when he stabbed Noah Smedley through the heart last December 28 with a knife he had hidden in his tracksuit bottoms. Hartle was wearing a balaclava and 'grinned or smiled before deliberately aiming for and stabbing him in the chest', his trial heard. Now aged 18, he has been found guilty of murder after a two-week trial at Derby crown court. Hartle and his friends had arranged to meet Noah on the night of the murder in Ilkeston, Derbyshire. Noah arrived riding an electric scooter and sold cannabis to the group, before Hartle turned on him and stabbed him in the chest. Hartle ran away from the scene, meeting his girlfriend at a house party where witnesses saw him confess what he'd done and showed her the knife – which has never been recovered. He then went to Derby city centre to distance himself from the crime scene. Noah had been found injured in the street by members of the public at about 8.20pm, but he was pronounced dead shortly before 9pm. In the hours after the murder, Hartle threw away his clothes, the knife, and his phone, before handing himself in to police. In a prepared statement he said he had acted in self defence, claiming Noah was 'about to lunge at me' and he 'instinctively lashed out'. Detective Constable Emma Barnes-Marriott said: 'Noah was an unarmed teenager, who was simply meeting with friends on the night Charles Hartle decided to end his life. 'Noah did not threaten Hartle and showed nothing but friendliness towards him that evening, and yet he was brutally murdered. 'Charles Hartle is a callous and calculating young man, who has shown no recognition or remorse for taking another teenager's life. 'He carried a knife with the intention to use it, over what appears to be a petty disagreement that only he was aware of, and a sense of bravado. 'I'd like to thank Noah's family for their support during our investigation and the trial. More Trending 'No family should have to go through the ordeal of losing a loved one, especially at such a young age, and to have to relive their last moments at trial is an additional blow that Hartle could have spared them from. 'Instead, despite overwhelming evidence, he remained silent and refused to take responsibility for Noah's murder. 'I know that nothing will bring Noah back but hope that today's verdict has provided his family with some comfort that justice has been done.' Hartle is set to be sentenced at the same court on August 22. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Boy said 'I want my mum' after being stabbed 27 times in Woolwich bus attack MORE: More than 5,000,000 victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking in the UK MORE: Officer in Manchester Airport brawl 'was an uncontrolled bully with a badge'
