This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/leicestershire/8261155.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Car death pair 'abused for years' | Car death pair 'abused for years' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A woman found dead in a burning car alongside her disabled daughter had suffered years of abuse from a gang of youths, an inquest has heard. | A woman found dead in a burning car alongside her disabled daughter had suffered years of abuse from a gang of youths, an inquest has heard. |
| The bodies of Fiona Pilkington, 38, and daughter Francecca Hardwick, 18, were found in a lay-by on the A47 near Earl Shilton in Leicestershire, in 2007. | The bodies of Fiona Pilkington, 38, and daughter Francecca Hardwick, 18, were found in a lay-by on the A47 near Earl Shilton in Leicestershire, in 2007. |
| An inquest at Loughborough Town Hall heard Ms Pilkington had apparently carried out a murder-suicide. | An inquest at Loughborough Town Hall heard Ms Pilkington had apparently carried out a murder-suicide. |
| The inquest, heard by a jury, is expected to finish on Friday. | The inquest, heard by a jury, is expected to finish on Friday. |
| The jury heard that in the years before their deaths, police, social services and Miss Hardwick's school - Dorothy Goodman Special School in Hinckley - were aware of difficulties the family faced, including money worries. | The jury heard that in the years before their deaths, police, social services and Miss Hardwick's school - Dorothy Goodman Special School in Hinckley - were aware of difficulties the family faced, including money worries. |
| 'Like an inferno' | 'Like an inferno' |
| Ms Pilkington, of Bardon Road, Barwell, was a full-time carer to Francecca, who had severe learning difficulties. She also had a son, Anthony Hardwick, who is now 19. | Ms Pilkington, of Bardon Road, Barwell, was a full-time carer to Francecca, who had severe learning difficulties. She also had a son, Anthony Hardwick, who is now 19. |
| The inquest was told Ms Pilkington is believed to have poured the contents of a 10-litre can of petrol over clothes in the back seat of the car, and set them alight. | The inquest was told Ms Pilkington is believed to have poured the contents of a 10-litre can of petrol over clothes in the back seat of the car, and set them alight. |
| A fire officer told the jury it caused an explosion so severe it blew off the sunroof and side windows and witnesses said the car was "like an inferno". | A fire officer told the jury it caused an explosion so severe it blew off the sunroof and side windows and witnesses said the car was "like an inferno". |
| Fiona couldn't defend herself. She was very shy and she didn't want any trouble Pam Cassell | Fiona couldn't defend herself. She was very shy and she didn't want any trouble Pam Cassell |
| The pair had to be identified by DNA profiling. | The pair had to be identified by DNA profiling. |
| Relatives described how Ms Pilkington had complained for years about youths "taunting and abusing" her at her home, but six months before her death had told them "I give up". | Relatives described how Ms Pilkington had complained for years about youths "taunting and abusing" her at her home, but six months before her death had told them "I give up". |
| Giving evidence, Ms Pilkington's mother Pam Cassell, 72, said a gang up to 16-strong would stand at the front of the house shouting that they could do anything they liked to the family. | |
| She said: "They used to ring on the doorbell and say that she had been hitting her kids. They were petty things like that. | She said: "They used to ring on the doorbell and say that she had been hitting her kids. They were petty things like that. |
| "They used to throw stones at the house and then they threw acorns and flour and eggs." | "They used to throw stones at the house and then they threw acorns and flour and eggs." |
| She added: "Fiona couldn't defend herself. She was very shy and she didn't want any trouble so she tended to ignore them. She was very vulnerable." | She added: "Fiona couldn't defend herself. She was very shy and she didn't want any trouble so she tended to ignore them. She was very vulnerable." |
| Mrs Cassell said the council imposed a 300-yard exclusion zone for the youths around the family's house but had failed to enforce it. | Mrs Cassell said the council imposed a 300-yard exclusion zone for the youths around the family's house but had failed to enforce it. |