Parents found guilty of killing six children

Relatives of six children who died in a house fire have said their “angels can rest in peace” after their parents were convicted of their killing.

Mick and Mairead Philpott were found guilty by jurors amid emotional scenes at Nottingham Crown Court of the manslaughter of the six siblings in the blaze at the family home in Victory Rd, Derby, on May 11 last year.

A third defendant, Paul Mosley, 46, was also found guilty of manslaughter following an eight-week trial.

Mick Philpott, 56, his 32-year-old wife, and Mosley, started the fire in the house in the early hours in a bid to frame Lisa Willis, the former girlfriend of Philpott, prosecutors said.

Jade Philpott, 10, and her brothers John, 9, Jack, 8, Jesse, 6, Jayden, 5, and Duwayne, 13, all died as a result of the petrol-fuelled blaze that tore through their three-bed council house.

There were emotional scenes in the packed public gallery at court as jurors delivered guilty verdicts in respect of all three defendants.

Many people sobbed and hugged one another, while Bernadette Duffy, sister of Mairead Philpott, cursed Mr Philpott.

Speaking after the convictions, the families of both the Philpotts welcomed the verdicts.

Dawn Bestwick, Philpott’s sister, said they believed justice had been served.

Describing the past year as a “very difficult time”, she added: “We can now attempt to move on and our six angels can rest in peace.”

A statement from Mrs Philpott’s family said: “We, Mairead’s family, cannot describe the pain we feel.

“Today, justice has been served and we are happy with the verdict.”

The court had heard details of how Philpott would share a bed with his wife and Willis on alternate nights, and both women were said to have lived happily with one another and the situation for a decade.

But Willis, 29, became unhappy with the domestic set-up three months before the fire and left with her five children, four of whom were fathered by Philpott.

The fatal blaze happened just hours before Philpott, who fathered 17 children by five different women, and Willis were due to appear at a court hearing to discuss residency of their children.