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| Langley Mill fire deaths: Father and sons jailed for life | Langley Mill fire deaths: Father and sons jailed for life |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man and his two sons have been jailed for life for murdering a baby and two teenagers in a flat fire in Derbyshire. | A man and his two sons have been jailed for life for murdering a baby and two teenagers in a flat fire in Derbyshire. |
| Six-month-old Ruby-Grace Gaunt, her mother Amy Smith and her friend Edward Green, both 17, died in the blaze in North Street, Langley Mill, in June. | Six-month-old Ruby-Grace Gaunt, her mother Amy Smith and her friend Edward Green, both 17, died in the blaze in North Street, Langley Mill, in June. |
| Peter Eyre, 44, and sons Simon, 24, and Anthony, 22, all of Sandiacre, will spend at least 32, 26 and 23 years respectively in prison. | Peter Eyre, 44, and sons Simon, 24, and Anthony, 22, all of Sandiacre, will spend at least 32, 26 and 23 years respectively in prison. |
| They started the fire as an act of revenge, Nottingham Crown Court heard. | They started the fire as an act of revenge, Nottingham Crown Court heard. |
| Updates on this story and more from Derbyshire | Updates on this story and more from Derbyshire |
| The trio were found guilty of three counts of murder after a month-long trial. | The trio were found guilty of three counts of murder after a month-long trial. |
| Judge Mrs Justice Sue Carr QC called the fire a "truly terrifying" crime, and said Peter Eyre used his sons to satisfy his "desire for vengeance and a sense of self-importance". | |
| "You have repeatedly lied and tried to bully your way out of your criminal responsibility... going so far as to seek to lay all the blame on your sons and your sons alone," the judge told Peter Eyre. | |
| During the case, the court was told the "catalyst" for the attack was a dispute over a stolen moped, which had been allegedly taken by another of Peter Eyre's sons. | During the case, the court was told the "catalyst" for the attack was a dispute over a stolen moped, which had been allegedly taken by another of Peter Eyre's sons. |
| The moped belonged to Miss Smith's boyfriend, Shaun Gaunt, 18, who escaped from the fire alongside a friend with the help of neighbours. | The moped belonged to Miss Smith's boyfriend, Shaun Gaunt, 18, who escaped from the fire alongside a friend with the help of neighbours. |
| The prosecution said following a confrontation with Mr Gaunt and his friends, Peter, Simon and Anthony Eyre drove to Langley Mill and while Peter waited in his black Skoda, his sons poured petrol outside the front door of the block of flats where Mr Gaunt lived. | |
| The door was the only means of entry and exit, the court heard. | The door was the only means of entry and exit, the court heard. |
| Ruby-Grace was found in her dead mother's arms on a landing, while Mr Green was found dead near the front door. | |
| The court was told firefighters did not initially see Mr Green lying at the foot of the stairs, so thick was the smoke. | |
| During his evidence, Peter Eyre denied being part of any plan to kill anyone or start a fire. | |
| Shaun Smith, representing Peter Eyre, described the blaze as a "foolish revenge attack gone terribly wrong". | |
| Peter Joyce, defending Simon Eyre, asked the judge to take into account Peter Eyre's "powerful influence" over his sons. | |
| Mrs Justice Carr told Anthony Eyre - who admitted manslaughter before the trial - he had "at least in part" chose to tell the truth as to his criminal involvement. |