Derby fire accused won’t give evidence in trial

By MATTHEW COOPER
Published on 20/03/2013 18:20

A MAN accused of killing six children in a house fire in Derby has chosen not to give evidence in his defence.

Paul Mosley, who denies six counts of manslaughter, opted not to enter the witness box in the sixth week of his trial at Nottingham Crown Court.

The 46-year-old, of Cecil Street, Derby, is alleged to have been involved in a plan to set fire to the home of Mick and Mairead Philpott in May last year.

Five of the couple’s children - Jade, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five - perished in the blaze at the Philpotts’ house in Victory Road.

Their son Duwayne, 13, died in Birmingham Children’s Hospital days later.

At the start of the 26th day of the trial, defence barrister Ben Nolan QC told the court: “On behalf of Paul Mosley we do not call any evidence.”

Mr Nolan was then asked by the trial judge whether Mosley had been advised that the jury may draw such inferences as appeared proper from his failure to give evidence.

Mr Nolan replied: “We have so advised him and he has elected to exercise his right to silence.”

The Philpotts, who also deny manslaughter, have both told the jury that they were not involved in setting the fire, which is alleged to have been an attempt to blacken the name of Mr Philpott’s former mistress, Lisa Willis.

The case was adjourned until Thursday.