Fire Deaths: Accused 'Can't Rule Out Husband'

A woman accused of killing her six children in a fire at the family home in Derby says she does not know if her husband was responsible and she could not rule anyone out.

Speaking at Nottingham Crown Court, Mairead Philpott, 31, said: "I don't know if he is capable of it. I don't know if he has done it or not."

She was asked under cross-examination whether it was possible that Mick Philpott, 56, got up in the night and set the fire without her knowledge.

She told the court: "I don't know, I was asleep. I can't rule out anybody."

Richard Latham QC for the prosecution said to her: "Are you saying there is a possibility your husband set this fire behind your back?"

"I honestly, don't know," she replied.

It was put to Mairead Philpott that "it can't be that he (Mick) is the arsonist who did this behind your back, he couldn't have done it without your knowing so you're either both not guilty, a third party is responsible or you know he did it because you were part of it".

She was also asked about covert police recordings made after the blaze.

In one passage of the recordings Mick Philpott is heard to say: "Don't say nothing now, don't say nothing."

In another section he said: "Don't worry we will walk through it, I promise you. Unless you want me to blab about it."

The prosecution allege that they were talking about a plot to start the fire.

Mairead Philpott claims it was about not revealing details of their unconventional sex life, which they feared would get into the press.

Mr Latham said: "This is not about sex. It's about the allegation of killing your children." This was denied by Mrs Philpott.

Jade Philpott, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, perished in the fire last May.

Duwayne, 13, died in Birmingham Children's Hospital days later.

On Monday, Mairead Philpott denied starting the fire at her home in Victory Road and said there was no plan to start one with Mick and co-accused Paul Mosley, 46.

The Philpotts and Mosley are on trial for the manslaughter of the Philpotts' six children. All three deny the charges.