Philpott Fire Trial: Wife Treated Like 'Slave'

By Darren Little, Midlands Correspondent

A man who is alleged to have killed his six children in a house fire has been accused in court of treating his wife like a slave.

Michael Philpott, 56, was accused at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday of controlling his wife Mairead, 31, and treating her like a "skivvy".

The pair, and a third defendant Paul Mosley, are on trial for the manslaughter of their six children in a house fire at their home in Allenton on May 11 last year. All three deny the charges.

On the second day of giving evidence in his own defence, Philpott admitted he had "been terrible to Mairead, I don't deny that".

Shaun Smith, representing Mairead, asked Philpott: "You regarded her as your property, didn't you? Your slave. That's what she was, wasn't she?

"She did everything in that house, didn't she, even when you were having a relationship with another woman? You think you own her, don't you?"

Tributes outside the family home in Allenton after the fire in May 2012

Philpott shook his head and said "no".

The court heard there was "a pattern" to the women Philpott was attracted to.

He began a relationship with Mairead when she was 19 and he was 43, and with Lisa Willis when she was 18 and he was also 43.

Miss Willis, 29, lived with the Philpotts and her five children - four of them fathered by Michael Philpott - until she left with the youngsters in February last year.

He admitted that Mairead had been present when he and Lisa first kissed but rejected claims she was "hurt" when he brought another woman into their relationship.

He said: "Can you help who you fall in love with?

"I didn't actually want two women in my life. It just happened and I regret it.

"It might sound strange to you but I asked Mairead's permission. And I got it. We was one happy family."

Philpott also told the court petrol residue found inside the house came from filling a garden strimmer.

Jade, 10, and brothers John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six and Jayden, five, all died in the fire on Victory Road, Allenton, last year.

Their brother Duwayne, 13, was taken to Derby Royal Hospital but died three days later.

The trial continues.

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