A Bristol heating engineer was jailed for manslaughter yesterday, following the tragic death of a young graduate from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Andrew Hartley, 37, was found guilty of manslaughter after failing to secure a boiler flue pipe during a 'rushed' and 'botched' installation, causing the death of neuroscience graduate, Zoe Anderson.

He was sentenced to three years for manslaughter by gross negligence and one year for breaching gas safety regulations, to run concurrently.

Judge Neil Ford QC said there was absolutely no malicious or hostile intent in this case, but his actions amounted to criminal negligence.

He described Hartley as a wholly respectable man who was fully qualified with a long and good work record.

“This is simply the price you must pay for an isolated but serious criminal offence,” he said.

“When you left the site you believed the flue was correctly fitted, but the flue was not connected to the turret elbow. The quality of work fell below your normal high standards.”

“You knew the dangers of a carbon monoxide leak and leaving the flue unconnected created a clearly foreseeable risk to life.“

Anderson, 24, collapsed and died from carbon monoxide poisoning in the shower of her father’s home in Sion Hill, Bath in December 2010.

Hartley was found guilty by a jury majority of 10 to two at Bristol Crown Court last month.