Teenager wept as 999 call played

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/tyne/7213958.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A teenager accused of starting a fire which killed his two sisters wept in court as he listened to a 999 call in which his mother was heard screaming.

Shane Spence, 18, denies murdering Tatum Spence, 14, and Demi-Jade, 12, who were killed in the fire.

The pair died from smoke inhalation in Lisle Road, South Shields, last April, Newcastle Crown Court had heard.

Mr Spence also denies the attempted murder of his parents John and Anita, both 37, who were hurt in the fire.

The teenager broke down in tears in court on Monday as the jury was played a recording of the 999 call made by a neighbour, who then put his teenage daughter on the line as he went to help tackle the intense fire.

The girl urges the operator to send help quickly, as the girls' screaming mother could be heard in the background.

During the six-minute call, Mrs Spence can be heard shouting "The girls can't get out".

The girls' father and mother were also hurt in the blaze

The court heard how Mrs Spence was woken by the smell of smoke pouring through the house.

She believed her husband was trying to reach Tatum, who was asleep in a first floor bedroom, and Demi-Jade, who was in the attic conversion upstairs.

Thick smoke, heat and flames prevented his rescue attempt, and those of neighbours who were alerted after Mrs Spence leapt to safety from an upstairs window.

Attempted suicide

After the blaze, investigators found a charred petrol can in the sitting room of the house.

The court heard how defendant Mr Spence, who was not living in Lisle Road at the time of the fire, had attempted suicide a few days before the blaze after an "incident" with his girlfriend, the mother of his child.

He had recently given up his job, much to his father's "disgust", the jury was told.

The case continues.