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| Fatal fire mother 'made mistake' | Fatal fire mother 'made mistake' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A mother has said she made "the worst mistake of her life", the night three of her children died in a fire at their east Manchester home. | A mother has said she made "the worst mistake of her life", the night three of her children died in a fire at their east Manchester home. |
| Susan Owen said she regretted arguing with her husband Kevin Hargreaves, 38, who is accused of murdering his son and two stepchildren in July. | |
| The jury heard Hargreaves, of no fixed abode, tried to set fire to himself during the row at a house in Openshaw. | |
| He denies three counts of murder at Manchester Crown Court. | He denies three counts of murder at Manchester Crown Court. |
| Ms Owen told the jury the couple had been arguing on and off for several hours in a bedroom before the fire broke out. | |
| She left the room and he followed her, then punched her about the head repeatedly. | |
| Ms Owen the jury: "I made the worst mistake of my life and followed him to the bedroom to find out why he had been punching me." | |
| John Hargreaves, eight, and his stepbrother Jordan Swift, 14, died after they became trapped in a third-floor bedroom, while Jordan's 19-year-old sister, Carly, also died after she dashed back into the house in the hope of saving the boys. | John Hargreaves, eight, and his stepbrother Jordan Swift, 14, died after they became trapped in a third-floor bedroom, while Jordan's 19-year-old sister, Carly, also died after she dashed back into the house in the hope of saving the boys. |
| Seven other children in the house survived the fire on 16 July. | Seven other children in the house survived the fire on 16 July. |
| Drinking binges | |
| Ms Owen told jurors she had never lived with Hargreaves, who she married in February 2003, because of the violence in their relationship. | Ms Owen told jurors she had never lived with Hargreaves, who she married in February 2003, because of the violence in their relationship. |
| She said he would go on drinking binges a couple of times a year, which would usually end in him beating her up. | She said he would go on drinking binges a couple of times a year, which would usually end in him beating her up. |
| On the night of the fire Hargreaves was in a "decent mood", Ms Owen said | |
| However, he became aggressive during a taxi ride home from a night out in Stockport, accusing her of flirting with the driver. | However, he became aggressive during a taxi ride home from a night out in Stockport, accusing her of flirting with the driver. |
| Ms Owen said he went "mental" when she bought the taxi driver a kebab. | Ms Owen said he went "mental" when she bought the taxi driver a kebab. |
| Flames and smoke were seen billowing from the window | Flames and smoke were seen billowing from the window |
| His anger continued when they arrived at her Herne Street home and they argued on and off in the bedroom for several hours. | His anger continued when they arrived at her Herne Street home and they argued on and off in the bedroom for several hours. |
| She left the room and he followed her, punching her repeatedly around the head before calmly returning to the bedroom. | She left the room and he followed her, punching her repeatedly around the head before calmly returning to the bedroom. |
| "I was feeling upset and I wanted to know why he had punched hell out of me," she said. | "I was feeling upset and I wanted to know why he had punched hell out of me," she said. |
| Richard Marks, prosecuting, earlier told the court Hargreaves had doused himself and the bed with petrol while she was out of the room. | |
| When she walked into the room, a struggle ensued on the bed in which she bit him on the leg and he then ignited the petrol with a cigarette lighter as he restrained her, Mr Marks said. | |
| The flames quickly spread to the rest of the room and house as the family desperately tried to flee the fire. | |
| One of the children who was in the house at the time told the court: "Kev just stood at the gate doing nothing, watching the house burn down." | |
| Jordan stood at his bedroom window screaming for help, she said. | Jordan stood at his bedroom window screaming for help, she said. |
| 'Kill myself' | |
| He got one foot out of the window, but a television exploded and he disappeared out of sight, the court heard. | He got one foot out of the window, but a television exploded and he disappeared out of sight, the court heard. |
| Mr Hargreaves suffered minor injuries in the fire. | Mr Hargreaves suffered minor injuries in the fire. |
| He told police: "I only wanted to kill myself, I only wanted to kill myself," the jury was told. | He told police: "I only wanted to kill myself, I only wanted to kill myself," the jury was told. |
| Mr Marks said it would not be disputed that the defendant deliberately and unlawfully lit a fire in the bedroom which led to the deaths of the three victims. | |
| He said the prosecution did not suggest that Mr Hargreaves intended to kill any of his children or indeed that he intended to cause any of them really serious bodily injury. | He said the prosecution did not suggest that Mr Hargreaves intended to kill any of his children or indeed that he intended to cause any of them really serious bodily injury. |
| However, it was the crown's case that those intentions were directed at his wife and the consequences of those actions made him equally guilty as if he had wished to seriously harm the children. | However, it was the crown's case that those intentions were directed at his wife and the consequences of those actions made him equally guilty as if he had wished to seriously harm the children. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |