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| Cwmbran fire deaths: Carl Mills jailed at least 30 years for triple murder | Cwmbran fire deaths: Carl Mills jailed at least 30 years for triple murder |
| (2 months later) | |
| A violent alcoholic man has been found guilty of murdering three generations of the same family, including his own ill baby daughter, by setting fire to their home on the day the child came home from hospital for the first time. | A violent alcoholic man has been found guilty of murdering three generations of the same family, including his own ill baby daughter, by setting fire to their home on the day the child came home from hospital for the first time. |
| Carl Mills, 28, killed his six-month-old daughter, Kimberley, who was born deaf and blind, her mother, Kayleigh Buckley, 17, and the child's grandmother, Kim Buckley, 46, who were all trapped in the family home in Coed Eva, Cwmbran, when a blaze ripped through it in the early hours of 18 September last year. | Carl Mills, 28, killed his six-month-old daughter, Kimberley, who was born deaf and blind, her mother, Kayleigh Buckley, 17, and the child's grandmother, Kim Buckley, 46, who were all trapped in the family home in Coed Eva, Cwmbran, when a blaze ripped through it in the early hours of 18 September last year. |
| Mills started the inferno after becoming convinced that Kayleigh had been seeing other men, and because he was jealous that she was spending more time with the child than him. | Mills started the inferno after becoming convinced that Kayleigh had been seeing other men, and because he was jealous that she was spending more time with the child than him. |
| He was jailed for life at Newport crown court and told he would serve at least 30 years before being considered for parole. Mr Justice Wyn Williams said: "You must have known that once the fire had taken hold that there would be virtually no chance of escape." He added: "There is no saying whether you will ever be released." There was applause in the public gallery as Mills was led away. | He was jailed for life at Newport crown court and told he would serve at least 30 years before being considered for parole. Mr Justice Wyn Williams said: "You must have known that once the fire had taken hold that there would be virtually no chance of escape." He added: "There is no saying whether you will ever be released." There was applause in the public gallery as Mills was led away. |
| Kayleigh and her mother had been celebrating Kimberley's homecoming after she spent her first six months in hospital. When the fire took hold, neighbours desperately tried to help but the teenage mother refused to leave her baby to escape and could not bear to throw the child to safety. | Kayleigh and her mother had been celebrating Kimberley's homecoming after she spent her first six months in hospital. When the fire took hold, neighbours desperately tried to help but the teenage mother refused to leave her baby to escape and could not bear to throw the child to safety. |
| The jury heard that Mills "groomed" Kayleigh when she was just 15 after they met via Facebook. He moved into the family home but was living in a tent in the garden at the time of the murders, having fallen out with his girlfriend's mother. | The jury heard that Mills "groomed" Kayleigh when she was just 15 after they met via Facebook. He moved into the family home but was living in a tent in the garden at the time of the murders, having fallen out with his girlfriend's mother. |
| Contacts that health and social services professionals and other agencies had with the family will now come under scrutiny. The court was told that social services were concerned about Mills's heavy drinking and he had been banned by officials from seeing Kimberley in hospital. A serious case review has been commissioned by the Torfaen safeguarding children board. | Contacts that health and social services professionals and other agencies had with the family will now come under scrutiny. The court was told that social services were concerned about Mills's heavy drinking and he had been banned by officials from seeing Kimberley in hospital. A serious case review has been commissioned by the Torfaen safeguarding children board. |
| After the verdict, the surviving members of the family released a statement in which they said they believed justice had been done. | After the verdict, the surviving members of the family released a statement in which they said they believed justice had been done. |
| It said: "Carl Mills starts a life sentence for three murders but for us, the family and friends of Kim, Kayleigh and Kimberley, our life sentence started on 18 September last year when three beautiful innocent people were torn from our lives. Our lives are never going to be the same again." | It said: "Carl Mills starts a life sentence for three murders but for us, the family and friends of Kim, Kayleigh and Kimberley, our life sentence started on 18 September last year when three beautiful innocent people were torn from our lives. Our lives are never going to be the same again." |
| Nicola Rees of the Crown Prosecution Service Wales said: "Carl Mills was responsible for starting a devastating fire that had distressing and tragic consequences. He did so knowing full well who was in the house at the time – and the evidence of his jealous and controlling nature makes it all too clear what his intentions were. | Nicola Rees of the Crown Prosecution Service Wales said: "Carl Mills was responsible for starting a devastating fire that had distressing and tragic consequences. He did so knowing full well who was in the house at the time – and the evidence of his jealous and controlling nature makes it all too clear what his intentions were. |
| "Once the fire had taken hold, neighbours and friends of Kim, Kayleigh and Kimberley Buckley did whatever they could to try and assist at the scene. In contrast, Mills himself displayed a callous, almost casual disregard for the wellbeing of those trapped inside the house." | "Once the fire had taken hold, neighbours and friends of Kim, Kayleigh and Kimberley Buckley did whatever they could to try and assist at the scene. In contrast, Mills himself displayed a callous, almost casual disregard for the wellbeing of those trapped inside the house." |
| Mills was arrested in the back garden of the family home on the night of the fire. He showed no emotion but insisted he had nothing to do with the fire. | Mills was arrested in the back garden of the family home on the night of the fire. He showed no emotion but insisted he had nothing to do with the fire. |
| He insisted that he and Kayleigh were in love and planned to get married. But when police examined his mobile phones they discovered that he had made explicit threats to kill Kayleigh by burning the house down. | He insisted that he and Kayleigh were in love and planned to get married. But when police examined his mobile phones they discovered that he had made explicit threats to kill Kayleigh by burning the house down. |
| Detective Superintendent Peter Jones of Gwent police said: "It was very clear from the text messages that Mills was making threats to kill. Threats to kill using arson. Carl Mills is an incredibly controlling individual." | Detective Superintendent Peter Jones of Gwent police said: "It was very clear from the text messages that Mills was making threats to kill. Threats to kill using arson. Carl Mills is an incredibly controlling individual." |
| Jones said it was no coincidence that Mills murdered his own daughter on the night she was allowed home from hospital for the first time. Asked whether Mills was a sexual predator who had groomed the teenager, Jones said: "I think that the facts speak for themselves. Carl Mills will be 29 this year and Kayleigh was 15 when they met." | Jones said it was no coincidence that Mills murdered his own daughter on the night she was allowed home from hospital for the first time. Asked whether Mills was a sexual predator who had groomed the teenager, Jones said: "I think that the facts speak for themselves. Carl Mills will be 29 this year and Kayleigh was 15 when they met." |
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