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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 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". | 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, planned a new life together once their six-month-old baby came home 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. |
He denies killing Kayleigh, 17, her mother Kim Buckley and baby Kimberley at their home in Cwmbran, Torfaen. | |
He said he was shocked to see the fire. | He said he was shocked to see the fire. |
Patrick Harrington QC, defending, asked him: "Did you have anything to do with the fire?" | Patrick Harrington QC, defending, asked him: "Did you have anything to do with the fire?" |
"No," Mr Mills replied. | "No," Mr Mills replied. |
Mr Harrington continued: "Did you threaten to burn down the house?" | Mr Harrington continued: "Did you threaten to burn down the house?" |
He replied: "Yeah, but it was empty threats really." | 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. | 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. | It had been started in the porch of the house and spread to the staircase, trapping them. |
The fire had been started just hours after baby Kimberley, whose twin sister Angel had been still born, had been discharged from hospital following her premature birth. | |
The court was told alcoholic Mr Mills was 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." |
Mr Harrington 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. |
"I kind of jogged a bit. But then stopped - my legs were aching," Mr Mills replied. | |
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 | 'Horrible' texts |
He was then taken for questioning by a police officer. | He was then taken for questioning by a police officer. |
In the hours before the fatal fire, Mr Mills admitted sending "revolting" and "horrible" texts to his girlfriend after he had spent the evening drinking and walking the streets. | |
He said the pair had met up for a cigarette at about 20:15 for "about three minutes" and Miss Buckley had been annoyed with him due to his drinking. | |
'Nasty' | 'Nasty' |
Mr Mills admitted the tone of the subsequent texts had been "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." |
Mr Mills told the court he loved Kayleigh. | 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. | 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. | He told the jury he knew her age and they did not start a sexual relationship until she was 16. |
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. | 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. |
Following Mr Mills' evidence to the defence barrister, the prosecution began its cross-examination. | |
Gregory Bull QC asked him: "Do you regret starting the fire that killed her?" | |
"I didn't do it," Mr Mills replied. | |
The jury was also told Mr Mills had a string of previous convictions from the age of 17. | |
They included criminal damage, threatening behaviour, stealing a car, breaching community rehabilitation orders, and racial abuse. | |
The trial continues. | The trial continues. |