Date set for Sharkey murder trial

TWO men will go on trial in April accused of murdering three members of the same family in a fire at their home.

Thomas Sharkey, 55, his daughter Bridget, aged eight, and his 21-year-old son Thomas jnr died following a fire at their house in Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute, in July 2011.

Robert Jennings, 50, and his 37-year-old co-accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, deny murder.

They have pled not guilty to attempting to murder the children’s mother, Angela Sharkey, who survived the blaze.

The pair allegedly poured petrol through the letterbox of the family home while they were asleep.

They will go on trial at the High Court in Edinburgh on 30 April in a case expected to last about eight weeks.

The second accused lodged special defences of incrimination and alibi, a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow heard yesterday.

Jennings and his co-accused face 23 charges in total. They deny all the charges.