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Derby fire deaths: 'Possible' that Mick Philpott set fire | Derby fire deaths: 'Possible' that Mick Philpott set fire |
(about 5 hours later) | |
A mother accused of killing her six children in a house fire has said she "can't rule out" the possibility that her husband started the blaze. | A mother accused of killing her six children in a house fire has said she "can't rule out" the possibility that her husband started the blaze. |
Mairead Philpott told a jury her husband Mick could have got up at night and set the fire without her knowledge. | Mairead Philpott told a jury her husband Mick could have got up at night and set the fire without her knowledge. |
Richard Latham QC, prosecuting, asked if she thought her husband could have set the fire and she replied: "I honestly don't know." | Richard Latham QC, prosecuting, asked if she thought her husband could have set the fire and she replied: "I honestly don't know." |
Mr and Mrs Philpott and friend Paul Mosley deny six counts of manslaughter. | Mr and Mrs Philpott and friend Paul Mosley deny six counts of manslaughter. |
Mrs Philpott told Nottingham Crown Court she had been asleep in the conservatory with her husband on the night of the fire. | Mrs Philpott told Nottingham Crown Court she had been asleep in the conservatory with her husband on the night of the fire. |
'It's possible' | 'It's possible' |
Mr Latham asked whether she was suggesting her husband had got out of bed shortly before the fire. | |
Mrs Philpott replied: "It's possible, I don't know because I was asleep." | Mrs Philpott replied: "It's possible, I don't know because I was asleep." |
The prosecutor asked Mrs Philpott: "Are you saying that there is a possibility that your husband set this fire behind your back, literally?" | The prosecutor asked Mrs Philpott: "Are you saying that there is a possibility that your husband set this fire behind your back, literally?" |
Mrs Philpott replied: "I honestly don't know. I can't rule out anybody - I just don't know who set the fire." | |
Mr Latham went on to question Mrs Philpott about traces of petrol found on her leggings, underwear and a sink at the fire-hit house. | |
He asked: "What was going on with Total petrol in that sink that night?" | |
Mrs Philpott, who claims to have found out that the house was on fire only after being woken by a smoke alarm, replied: "I don't know." | |
At the conclusion of her evidence, Mrs Philpott denied all three defendants had "thought up" the fire as a way to blacken the name of her husband's former mistress. | |
"I have told the truth," Mrs Philpott said. "I don't know why there is petrol on my clothing." | |
Mrs Philpott was also asked about covert recordings in which her husband talked of "sticking with the story". | |
Mr Latham put it to Mrs Philpott that she and her husband had been talking about the allegation they were responsible for the fire. | |
But she told the jury the phrase was a reference to not telling anyone about sexual activity with Mr Mosley. | |
"It was about the sex," she told the court. | "It was about the sex," she told the court. |
"I didn't want to be disgraced in the papers. My children had just died - I was more bothered about my children." | "I didn't want to be disgraced in the papers. My children had just died - I was more bothered about my children." |
'Suicide attempt' | 'Suicide attempt' |
Mr Latham said this explanation did not make sense. | Mr Latham said this explanation did not make sense. |
"This is not about the sex, it's about the allegation of killing your children," he said. | "This is not about the sex, it's about the allegation of killing your children," he said. |
Earlier, Mrs Philpott said she took an overdose because she wanted her husband, his mistress Lisa Willis and all of the 11 children to be back together. | Earlier, Mrs Philpott said she took an overdose because she wanted her husband, his mistress Lisa Willis and all of the 11 children to be back together. |
Miss Willis and her five children left the home in Derby they shared with Mr and Mrs Philpott and their children three months before the fire on 11 May. | |
Talking about Miss Willis, Mrs Philpott said: "She has always wanted Mick for herself." | Talking about Miss Willis, Mrs Philpott said: "She has always wanted Mick for herself." |
Jade Philpott, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, died on the morning of the fire. | Jade Philpott, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, died on the morning of the fire. |
Mrs Philpott's son from a previous relationship, 13-year-old Duwayne, died later in hospital. | Mrs Philpott's son from a previous relationship, 13-year-old Duwayne, died later in hospital. |
The trial was adjourned until Wednesday. |