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| Mick Philpott jailed for life over Derby house fire that killed six children | Mick Philpott jailed for life over Derby house fire that killed six children |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Mick Philpott has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years for starting a fire that tore through his Derby home, killing six children and triggering widespread public revulsion. | Mick Philpott has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years for starting a fire that tore through his Derby home, killing six children and triggering widespread public revulsion. |
| He was told by Mrs Justice Thirwall he was the "driving force behind this shockingly dangerous enterprise". | He was told by Mrs Justice Thirwall he was the "driving force behind this shockingly dangerous enterprise". |
| The judge said Philpott used his conviction for attempting to murder a girlfriend in 1978 to terrify other women, adding: "You have repeatedly used that conviction as a means of controlling other women, terrified as to what you would do to them." | The judge said Philpott used his conviction for attempting to murder a girlfriend in 1978 to terrify other women, adding: "You have repeatedly used that conviction as a means of controlling other women, terrified as to what you would do to them." |
| She said the plot to set fire to the house and rescue the children was "a wicked and dangerous plan", adding it was "outside the comprehension of any right-thinking person". | She said the plot to set fire to the house and rescue the children was "a wicked and dangerous plan", adding it was "outside the comprehension of any right-thinking person". |
| His wife and co-conspirator Mairead Philpott and their friend Paul Mosley were both sentenced to 17 years for helping the plot. They will not be eligible for release until they have served at least half their sentences. | His wife and co-conspirator Mairead Philpott and their friend Paul Mosley were both sentenced to 17 years for helping the plot. They will not be eligible for release until they have served at least half their sentences. |
| Even the families of the couple had welcomed the guilty verdicts when they were returned by the jury at Nottingham crown court on Tuesday after a trial which heard about their complicated private lives and Mr Philpott's history of violence against his partners. | Even the families of the couple had welcomed the guilty verdicts when they were returned by the jury at Nottingham crown court on Tuesday after a trial which heard about their complicated private lives and Mr Philpott's history of violence against his partners. |
| He devised the twisted plot in an attempt to frame a former lover, Lisa Willis, who had left him and so he could act the hero and rescue his children. | He devised the twisted plot in an attempt to frame a former lover, Lisa Willis, who had left him and so he could act the hero and rescue his children. |
| But the fire which broke out in May last year was fiercer than Mr Philpott expected. Six out of 11 children sleeping in the council house in Victory Road, Derby, died. | But the fire which broke out in May last year was fiercer than Mr Philpott expected. Six out of 11 children sleeping in the council house in Victory Road, Derby, died. |
| He even exploited public sympathy after the fire to try to benefit from money donated for the funerals of the children, Jayden, five, Jade, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and 13-year-old Duwayne. | He even exploited public sympathy after the fire to try to benefit from money donated for the funerals of the children, Jayden, five, Jade, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and 13-year-old Duwayne. |
| The jury was not told Mr Philpott had a previous conviction for attempting to murder a woman who wanted to leave him, whom he stabbed a dozen times. | The jury was not told Mr Philpott had a previous conviction for attempting to murder a woman who wanted to leave him, whom he stabbed a dozen times. |
| Mr Philpott, aged 21 at the time of the attack, was convicted of the attempted murder of Kim Hill and of grievous bodily harm to her mother in December 1978. He was sentenced to seven years, with the judge warning that he was a dangerous man. | Mr Philpott, aged 21 at the time of the attack, was convicted of the attempted murder of Kim Hill and of grievous bodily harm to her mother in December 1978. He was sentenced to seven years, with the judge warning that he was a dangerous man. |
| Such was Mr Philpott's hold on women that after the fire that killed his children he got his wife to perform a sex act on the third co-conspirator, Mosley, which the crown said was carried out to keep him on side as part of the plot. Mr Philpott had children with five partners, claiming welfare benefits for himself and forcing women in his life to hand over money to him. | Such was Mr Philpott's hold on women that after the fire that killed his children he got his wife to perform a sex act on the third co-conspirator, Mosley, which the crown said was carried out to keep him on side as part of the plot. Mr Philpott had children with five partners, claiming welfare benefits for himself and forcing women in his life to hand over money to him. |
| The jury convicted Mr Philpott, 56, and Mosley, 46, unanimously. Mrs Philpott, 32, was convicted by majority verdict. | The jury convicted Mr Philpott, 56, and Mosley, 46, unanimously. Mrs Philpott, 32, was convicted by majority verdict. |
| All three were convicted of manslaughter, not murder, meaning prosecutors accept they did not intend for anyone to be killed. | All three were convicted of manslaughter, not murder, meaning prosecutors accept they did not intend for anyone to be killed. |
| Barristers for the Philpotts told a sentencing hearing on Wednesday that they had been good parents and in spite of their complex private lives their children had been doing well. | Barristers for the Philpotts told a sentencing hearing on Wednesday that they had been good parents and in spite of their complex private lives their children had been doing well. |
| It was revealed that Mr Philpott had been on bail at the time of the fire after a violent road rage attack. He had punched a driver after forcing him to stop because he believed he had pulled out in front of him at a roundabout. He admitted common assault but was awaiting trial on a charge of dangerous driving. | It was revealed that Mr Philpott had been on bail at the time of the fire after a violent road rage attack. He had punched a driver after forcing him to stop because he believed he had pulled out in front of him at a roundabout. He admitted common assault but was awaiting trial on a charge of dangerous driving. |
| Mrs Philpott's barrister said she faced risks in prison because she had been convicted of killing children. Shaun Smith QC gave mitigating factors in the hearing as he tried to persuade the judge to pass a lower sentence. | Mrs Philpott's barrister said she faced risks in prison because she had been convicted of killing children. Shaun Smith QC gave mitigating factors in the hearing as he tried to persuade the judge to pass a lower sentence. |
| "She will be forever known as a child killer," Smith said. | "She will be forever known as a child killer," Smith said. |
| He said her real sentence would be the loss of her children and that she had been dominated by her husband during their 12-year relationship. | He said her real sentence would be the loss of her children and that she had been dominated by her husband during their 12-year relationship. |
| Smith told the judge there was "only one dominant person in that relationship". He added: "She would do whatever he said, whatever he wanted," and described her attempts to keep her husband's affections as "utter folly". | Smith told the judge there was "only one dominant person in that relationship". He added: "She would do whatever he said, whatever he wanted," and described her attempts to keep her husband's affections as "utter folly". |
| He said the children led happy lives despite living for a time with their mother, father and their father's girlfriend. Smith told the judge: "The entirety of the evidence in this case is that Mairead Philpott was an extremely good mother to all 11 children. No one, we respectfully submit, can dispute the grief that she feels." | He said the children led happy lives despite living for a time with their mother, father and their father's girlfriend. Smith told the judge: "The entirety of the evidence in this case is that Mairead Philpott was an extremely good mother to all 11 children. No one, we respectfully submit, can dispute the grief that she feels." |
| The hearing heard that Mr Philpott had meted out violence in all his relationships. At one point the judge asked: "There's been violence in every single relationship, has there not?" | The hearing heard that Mr Philpott had meted out violence in all his relationships. At one point the judge asked: "There's been violence in every single relationship, has there not?" |
| The crown outlined Mr Philpott's past offences, which Thirlwall said she would take into account in deciding sentencing. | The crown outlined Mr Philpott's past offences, which Thirlwall said she would take into account in deciding sentencing. |
| After the 1978 attack Hill had to be revived twice and the court on Wednesday heard that she still suffered from its effects. | After the 1978 attack Hill had to be revived twice and the court on Wednesday heard that she still suffered from its effects. |
| Before the murder attempt Mr Philpott had attacked her, breaking her fingers, and when Hill then wanted to leave him, he became so enraged he decided to kill her so no other man could have her. In mitigation, his barrister, Anthony Orchard QC, said the conviction for attempted murder was a long time ago and there was no evidence of anything like the offence since. | Before the murder attempt Mr Philpott had attacked her, breaking her fingers, and when Hill then wanted to leave him, he became so enraged he decided to kill her so no other man could have her. In mitigation, his barrister, Anthony Orchard QC, said the conviction for attempted murder was a long time ago and there was no evidence of anything like the offence since. |
| The court was told that in 1991 Mr Philpott headbutted someone while working and was given a conditional discharge for actual bodily harm. He was cautioned in 2010 for attacking his wife after slapping her in the face and dragging her out of the house. | The court was told that in 1991 Mr Philpott headbutted someone while working and was given a conditional discharge for actual bodily harm. He was cautioned in 2010 for attacking his wife after slapping her in the face and dragging her out of the house. |
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