Philpott fire: live updates from day 20 of the manslaughter trial

The case against three people accused of killing six children in a Derby house fire resumed on Monday morning.

The six Philpott children perished in the blaze at their home in Victory Road last May.

Their parents Mick Philpott, his wife Mairead, and family friend Paul Mosley, have pleaded not guilty to six counts of manslaughter.

Day 20 of the manslaughter trial at Nottingham Crown Court

1.40pm Mr Latham has told the court that that concludes the case for the prosecution.

The trial has been adjourned until 10.15am on Wednesday.

1.05pm The court is now hearing a document of agreed facts between the prosecution and defence.

One is that Jayden was found in his school uniform and the other children were either in their clothes, underwear or pyjamas.

One is a photograph of gloves and a plastic Dr Pepper bottle recovered from the front garden of 110 Osmaston Park Road.

Another is that four 999 calls were made between 3.46am and 3.49am on the morning of the fire. The first came from Philpott's phone, the other three were made on neighbours' phones.

Agreed facts also include that Paul Mosley was convicted of robbery in September 1982 when he was 15 years old.

12.55pm The first witness is Joseph Tilbury, a crime intelligence analyst working for the police's major crime unit. He has told the court that he analysed voice and texts messages.

He said there were 76 text messages he had recovered between May 1 and 11 from Philpott's phone that were missing from his handset.

12.30pm Extracts of possible suicide notes written by Mairead are being read out by Richard Latham QC.

In them she apologies to Philpott and Ms Willis.

She said: "I know you love Lisa more than me so I am going to say goodbye. I will see you all in heaven."

Mairead is wiping tears from her eyes as the letters are read out.

She said in one: "I would gladly die for my children."

In another she said: "My message to Lisa is simple. As Barry White said `You are my first, my last, my everything. True love never goes away. I would forgive Lisa but there is nothing to forgive."

In a letter addressed to Ms Willis she said: "I know deep down he (Philpott) loves you more than me. I have know for a long time. You are my best friend, sister and lover. Please forgive me, I will be waiting for you in heaven."

12.15pm Justice Kate Thirwall has told the jury that the reason for the delay in proceedings was because two of the defendants were held up in traffic on the M1 on their journeys from their respective prisons.

Mick Philpott, one of three people accused of the manslaughter of six children in a Derby house fire, is likely to take the stand in the trial this week.

His barrister, Anthony Orchard QC, told the Derby Telegraph he anticipated his client would take the witness box on Wednesday.

Philpott, 56, along with his wife Mairead, 31, and family friend Paul Mosley, 45, all deny six counts of manslaughter. It is alleged that they started the fire at the Philpotts' home, 18 Victory Road, Allenton, in the early hours of May 11 last year.

The blaze caused the deaths of Jade Philpott, 10 and her brothers Duwayne, 13, Jack, nine, John, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five. All died from the effects of smoke inhalation.

It is not yet known if Mairead or Mosley, of Cecil Street, Derby, will be taking the stand.

Richard Latham QC, said it was likely the prosecution's case would finish today – day 20 of the trial at Nottingham Crown Court.

He said that today's first witness would be acting superintendent Kate Meynell, from the East Midlands Major Crime Unit, who is the senior investigating officer in the case.

Mr Latham said: "I anticipate Mr Philpott will take to the witness box this week, probably Wednesday."

The trial has so far taken four weeks and Justice Kate Thirlwall QC, who is presiding over matters, told the jury on day one that it could last "a minimum of six weeks".

The prosecution claims that Philpott was the "prime mover" in "a plan that went tragically wrong" and that his wife and Mosley were also involved.

It claims that plan was to frame Lisa Willis, Philpott's former mistress who had lived with him and his wife for 10 years at the Victory Road house.

On February 11 last year she walked out of the house, taking her five children, four of whom Philpott was the father of.

On the morning of the fire, three months to the day since Ms Willis had left, the couple were due at Derby Crown Court to contest a custody hearing over those children.

The trial has also heard that petrol was discovered on the clothing of all three of the defendants when police seized those items as part of their investigation into the cause of the blaze.

*THE PHILPOTT TRIAL: Visit our Philpott trial channel here for all related stories in the fire death case.