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Carl Mills trial: Father denies starting Cwmbran fire Carl Mills trial: Father denies starting Cwmbran fire
(35 minutes later)
A father has denied starting a fire which killed three generations of a family, including his girlfriend and deaf and blind baby daughter. A father accused of murdering three generations of a family, including his girlfriend and disabled baby, by starting a fire at their home said earlier threats he made were "empty".
Carl Mills, 28, told Newport Crown Court he and Kayleigh Buckley, 17, planned a new life together once their baby was released from hospital. Carl Mills, 28, told Newport Crown Court he and Kayleigh Buckley, planned a new life together once their six-month-old baby came home from hospital.
Kayleigh, her mother Kim, 46, and baby Kimberley died in the fire at their Cwmbran home last September. He denies killing Kayleigh, 17, her mother Kim Buckley and baby Kimberley in a blaze at their home in Cwmbran.
Mr Mills told the jury his threats to burn down the house were "empty" ones. He said he was shocked to see the fire.
Patrick Harrington QC, defending, asked him: "Did you have anything to do with the fire?"
"No," Mr Mills replied.
Mr Harrington continued: "Did you threaten to burn down the house?"
He replied: "Yeah, but it was empty threats really."
The jury has previously heard how neighbours living on the estate had tried to save the family from the fire in the early hours of 18 September.
It had been started in the porch of the house and spread to the staircase, trapping them.
Neighbours used ladders to try and help but were not able to reach them.
The fire had been started just hours after baby Kimberley had been discharged from hospital following her premature birth.
She was deaf and blind and was suffering serious lung problems requiring oxygen, which was stored at the house.
Her twin sister, Angel, was stillborn.
The court was told Mr Mills was sat drinking on wasteland known as "the brick" near the back of the house in Coed Eva at the time of the fire.The court was told Mr Mills was sat drinking on wasteland known as "the brick" near the back of the house in Coed Eva at the time of the fire.
Giving evidence, he told the court: "I sat down for a couple of minutes but then I heard screaming getting louder and shouting getting louder."Giving evidence, he told the court: "I sat down for a couple of minutes but then I heard screaming getting louder and shouting getting louder."
Patrick Harrington QC, defending, asked him if he knew it was his girlfriend's house that was on fire. Mr Harrington asked him if he knew it was his girlfriend's house that was on fire.
Mr Mills replied: "Yeah. I didn't know what was going on."Mr Mills replied: "Yeah. I didn't know what was going on."
Mr Harrington asked if he had run towards the fire.Mr Harrington asked if he had run towards the fire.
Mr Mills said: "I kind of jogged a bit. But then stopped - my legs were aching."Mr Mills said: "I kind of jogged a bit. But then stopped - my legs were aching."
He told the court he had proceeded down a path towards the burning house and saw neighbours standing outside before asking them what was going onHe told the court he had proceeded down a path towards the burning house and saw neighbours standing outside before asking them what was going on
Mr Mills said he was "shocked really" to see the house on fire.Mr Mills said he was "shocked really" to see the house on fire.
He said he saw fire crews outside and told them which rooms the three members of the family were in.He said he saw fire crews outside and told them which rooms the three members of the family were in.
He then went to the back of the house, he told the court.He then went to the back of the house, he told the court.
"(I was) in the back garden to see if I could get in the back door. It was locked," he said."(I was) in the back garden to see if I could get in the back door. It was locked," he said.
"I were trying to look for something in the garden to smash it.""I were trying to look for something in the garden to smash it."
'Horrible' texts
He was then taken for questioning by a police officer.He was then taken for questioning by a police officer.
The jury was told Mr Mills "made a fuss" and had to be moved from the police car into a caged police van.The jury was told Mr Mills "made a fuss" and had to be moved from the police car into a caged police van.
Mr Mills told the court he had black hands from collecting tobacco from discarded cigarette ends from the streets.Mr Mills told the court he had black hands from collecting tobacco from discarded cigarette ends from the streets.
Mr Harrington asked him: "Did you have anything to do with the fire?" In the hours before the fatal fire, Mr Mills admitted to sending "revolting" and "horrible" texts to his girlfriend, who had brought home Kimberley from hospital the previous evening.
"No," Mr Mills replied.
'Empty threats'
Mr Harrington continued: "Did you threaten to burn down the house?"
He replied: "Yeah, but it was empty threats really."
The jury has previously heard how neighbours living on the estate had tried to save the family from the fire, which had been started in the porch of the house and spread to the staircase.
Neighbours used ladders to try and help them but were not able to reach them.
The fire had been started just hours after six-month-old baby Kimberley had been discharged from hospital following her premature birth.
She was deaf and blind and was suffering serious lung problems requiring oxygen, which was stored at the house.
Her twin sister, Angel, was stillborn.
In the hours before the fatal fire on 18 September, Mr Mills admitted to sending "revolting" and "horrible" texts to his girlfriend, who had brought home Kimberley from hospital the previous evening.
Mr Mills said while Kimberley was spending her first night at home, he was walking the streets and drinking three litres of White Storm cider.Mr Mills said while Kimberley was spending her first night at home, he was walking the streets and drinking three litres of White Storm cider.
Alcoholic Mr Mills said he had drunk the entire bottle within half an hour.Alcoholic Mr Mills said he had drunk the entire bottle within half an hour.
Mr Harrington asked him about the texts he had sent to Miss Buckley in the hours before he fire.Mr Harrington asked him about the texts he had sent to Miss Buckley in the hours before he fire.
"Were they friendly or hostile?" Mr Harrington asked."Were they friendly or hostile?" Mr Harrington asked.
Mr Mills replied: "Both, I think. There were some friendly bits and some hostile bits."Mr Mills replied: "Both, I think. There were some friendly bits and some hostile bits."
He said both he and his girlfriend had sent unpleasant texts that night.He said both he and his girlfriend had sent unpleasant texts that night.
The pair met up for a cigarette at about 20:15 for "about three minutes".The pair met up for a cigarette at about 20:15 for "about three minutes".
'Nasty''Nasty'
Mr Harrington asked Mr Mills if Miss Buckley was annoyed at it him.Mr Harrington asked Mr Mills if Miss Buckley was annoyed at it him.
"Yeah. Because of my drinking," he said."Yeah. Because of my drinking," he said.
Mr Mills had promised his girlfriend he would not drink, the jury heard.Mr Mills had promised his girlfriend he would not drink, the jury heard.
That was the last time he saw her.That was the last time he saw her.
Mr Mills admitted the tone of the subsequent texts was "nasty".Mr Mills admitted the tone of the subsequent texts was "nasty".
He said: "I was drinking not thinking. But I regretted it afterwards."He said: "I was drinking not thinking. But I regretted it afterwards."
The jury has previously been told how Mr Mills, who was living in a tent in the garden of his girlfriend's home, had become increasingly resentful of the attention she had been giving to their daughter. Mr Mills told the court he loved Kayleigh.
The pair had got together when she requested him as a friend on Facebook in August 2010. She was 15 and Mr Mills was 25.
He told the jury he knew her age and they did not start a sexual relationship until she was 16.
Mr Harrington said: "It's been suggested by the prosecution that you were grooming her - were you?"
"No," Mr Mills replied.
The jury has previously been told how Mr Mills, who was living in a tent in the garden of his girlfriend's home, had become increasingly resentful of the attention Kayleigh had been giving to their daughter.
Although he was allowed to see Kimberley, he was not allowed to care for her due to his alcohol issues and his refusal to accept professional help.Although he was allowed to see Kimberley, he was not allowed to care for her due to his alcohol issues and his refusal to accept professional help.
Mr Mills has told the court he loved Miss Buckley and they had planned to marry.
The trial continues.The trial continues.