This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-22011190

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Philpott sentencing: Derby fire deaths duo 'good' parents Philpott sentencing: Derby fire deaths duo 'good' parents
(about 2 hours later)
A mother and father convicted of killing six of their children in a house fire were "good" parents, a court has heard.A mother and father convicted of killing six of their children in a house fire were "good" parents, a court has heard.
Mick and Mairead Philpott are due to be sentenced for manslaughter later, along with their friend Paul Mosley. Mick and Mairead Philpott are due to be sentenced for manslaughter on Thursday, along with their friend Paul Mosley.
Barristers representing the parents told the judge the children had been loved and "happy". Barristers representing the Derby parents told the judge the children had been loved and "happy".
But the court has heard that Philpott had a criminal record and tried to murder a previous girlfriend. But the court has heard Philpott had a criminal record and tried to murder a previous girlfriend.
The jury at Nottingham Crown Court returned unanimous decisions on Mosley and Mick Philpott while Mairead Philpott was convicted by a majority on Tuesday. In 1991 he was given a conditional discharge after admitting causing actual bodily harm and in 2010 he was cautioned by police after hitting Mairead.
When Philpott set fire to his house in Victory Road, Derby, he was facing trial over a road rage incident in which he punched a motorist in the face.
He had admitted common assault in relation to the incident but denied dangerous driving.
Not 'deliberately harmed'
On Tuesday the jury at Nottingham Crown Court returned unanimous manslaughter verdicts on Philpott and Mosley while Mairead Philpott was convicted by a majority.
They were expected to be sentenced on Wednesday but Mrs Justice Thirlwall said she will sentence them on Thursday.
Anthony Orchard QC, representing Philpott, said: "Despite Mr Philpott's faults he was a very good father and loved those children. All the witnesses, even Lisa Willis [Philpott's former mistress], agree on this.Anthony Orchard QC, representing Philpott, said: "Despite Mr Philpott's faults he was a very good father and loved those children. All the witnesses, even Lisa Willis [Philpott's former mistress], agree on this.
"There's no evidence at any stage that he deliberately harmed any of them.""There's no evidence at any stage that he deliberately harmed any of them."
Mr Orchard said Philpott's conviction for attempting to murder a previous girlfriend by repeatedly stabbing her in 1978 was a "long time ago" and there was no evidence of anything like that being repeated.Mr Orchard said Philpott's conviction for attempting to murder a previous girlfriend by repeatedly stabbing her in 1978 was a "long time ago" and there was no evidence of anything like that being repeated.
But the judge, Mrs Justice Thirlwall, interrupted and said: "There's been violence in every single relationship, has there not?" But the judge interrupted and said: "There's been violence in every single relationship, has there not?"
Shaun Smith QC, for Mairead Philpott, said there was no evidence "any of these children were in any sort of danger or peril prior to that night [of the fire] whatsoever".Shaun Smith QC, for Mairead Philpott, said there was no evidence "any of these children were in any sort of danger or peril prior to that night [of the fire] whatsoever".
"The entirety of the evidence is that Mairead Philpott was an extremely good mother to all 11 children [who had been living in the house]," he said."The entirety of the evidence is that Mairead Philpott was an extremely good mother to all 11 children [who had been living in the house]," he said.
'Child killer' sentence 'Child killer'
Mr Smith added they were "happy children" who were "well nourished" and "well looked after".Mr Smith added they were "happy children" who were "well nourished" and "well looked after".
He said when released from prison, Mairead Philpott would have no support network from family, and she would not be able to have children or be involved with any despite her great love for them.He said when released from prison, Mairead Philpott would have no support network from family, and she would not be able to have children or be involved with any despite her great love for them.
"She will be forever known as a child killer, that will be her real sentence," Mr Smith said. "She will be forever known as a child killer," Mr Smith said.
Five of the Philpotts' children died in their home on Victory Road and the sixth, from a previous relationship, died in hospital.
Jade Philpott, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, died on the morning of the fire on 11 May 2012.Jade Philpott, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, died on the morning of the fire on 11 May 2012.
Mairead Philpott's son from a previous relationship, 13-year-old Duwayne, died later in hospital.Mairead Philpott's son from a previous relationship, 13-year-old Duwayne, died later in hospital.
Jurors heard Philpott had been violent and controlling towards his former live-in mistress, Lisa Willis. The judge was told that Mosley, "a family man with two children", still denies any involvement in the fire.
When she left, taking her children, he became "obsessed with getting Lisa and the kids back". The trial heard it was started to frame Philpott's former live-in mistress, Lisa Willis, who had left the house taking her five children.
The court heard Mick Philpott wanted to rescue the children from the fire, blame Miss Willis, and be hailed a hero - but the plan went wrong. Philpott hoped this would help him get custody of the children, the prosecution said, but the plan went "horribly wrong" as Philpott was unable to rescue them from the blaze.
Mairead Philpott's sister, Jennifer Lobban, told the BBC's Panorama team she had been dominated by Mick Philpott. Jurors were also told that Philpott may have hoped to obtain a bigger council house, but Mrs Justice Thirlwall said welfare dependency did not cause him to kill.
She said: "She is a victim of Mick, but, at the end of the day, when it comes to your kids, she should have put them first."
Jurors were told that Philpott was to "act the hero and victim" and perhaps obtain a bigger house.
During the trial the court heard details of how Philpott led an unconventional life at Victory Road.
The fatal blaze engulfed the house as the children slept just hours before Philpott, who was father to a total of 17 children by five different women, and Miss Willis were due to appear at a pre-scheduled court hearing to discuss residency of their children.
He would share a bed with his wife and Miss Willis on alternate nights, and both women were said to have lived happily with one another and the situation for a decade.
But Miss Willis, 29, became unhappy with the domestic set-up three months before the fire and left with her five children, four of whom were fathered by Philpott.