Experts could find no trace of 80 texts to or from Philpott's phone made in run-up to fire

MORE than 80 text messages either sent from, or received by, Mick Philpott's mobile phone in the 10 days leading up to the Victory Road fire were missing when police experts analysed it following his arrest.

A crime intelligence said that when he examined data sent from and to the phone between May 1 and 11, 85 messages that Philpott's service provider said had been present were not there.

Joseph Tilbury said the last entry he found on the handset of the phone on May 1 was a phone call that lasted 11 seconds that came through at 6.31pm.

The next entry in the message list was then a text message from Philpott's daughter Michaela at 7.41am, four hours after the blaze at the Philpotts' home, 18 Victory Road, Allenton, in which the couple's six children died.

The evidence came on day 20 of the Nottingham Crown Court trial which has now seen the end of the prosecution's case against Philpott, his wife, Mairead, and family friend Paul Mosley.

Richard Latham QC, prosecuting, explained to the jury how Mr Tilbury worked for the police's major crimes unit analysing data sent between mobile phones.

Mr Latham said: "When you looked at Mr Philpott's phone the last entry was on May 1 at 6.31pm?"

Mr Tilbury replied: "That's correct, the handset showed no contact after May 1 until May 11 at 7.41 am."

Mr Latham said: "But Mr Philpott's phone provider handed over evidence to you that showed there were another 85 text or data messages sent between then and when the next entry, from Mr Philpott's daughter, Michaela, was present on the handset at 7.41am on May 11."

Mr Tilbury said: "Yes, those messages in between are missing from the handset."

The last day of the prosecution's evidence yesterday, also heard readings of apparent suicide notes written by Mrs Philpott between the time her husband's lover, Lisa Willis, left 18 Victory Road, on February 11 last year, and the fire, on May 11.

Mrs Willis's four children with Mick and her son by a previous relationship all lived at 18 Victory Road, with Mairead and her six children with Philpott.

Sitting in the dock, Mairead wiped away tears from her eyes as the notes were read out by Mr Latham.

He explained that only one of them could be dated to March last year, after she had taken an overdose of 120 paracetamol and spent three nights in the Royal Derby Hospital.

He said there were seven notes in total and they were found in various places around the house, including bedroom drawers and in a yellow folder seized from the kitchen. In one note Mrs Philpott said: "I know you (Philpott) love Lisa more than me so I am going to say goodbye.

"I hate it that the children are going to bed at night crying because they miss Lisa and the other children.

"I have lost a great sister in Lisa and I will always love her.

"I hate to think what it is doing to Lisa. I am so sorry, I will see you all in heaven."

In the same note Mrs Philpott said she wanted her husband to be happy with Ms Willis and the 11 children.

And in another note Mrs Philpott seemingly writes to Ms Willis.

In it she said: "I know deep down that he loves you more than me, I have known for a long time.

"You are my best friend, sister and lover, please forgive me."

Mr Latham said another note was found in the conservatory of the house by the police.

Mrs Philpott, in it, said: "You (Philpott) will not see your kids again because it is my fault.

"You have shown you are a better man by walking away and you have shown how strong you really are, for your children and for me.

"Thank Lisa for the nine wonderful years we all had.

"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."

Mr Latham also read out another note in Mrs Philpott's handwriting that was discovered in a storage cupboard in the kitchen.

In it she said: "I know I promised you I would not do anything stupid but I know how down you are about Lisa leaving. The last five years I have just looked after the kids, got them dressed, fed, ready for school.

"I have let everybody down, please tell everyone I am so sorry. I feel like I have lost everything.

"I have probably shown that I am coping but I am not. I have always loved you from the bottom of my heart."

Yesterday in court Mr Latham also read out a letter signed by Philpott's son, Mikey, from a previous relationship with a former partner, Heather Kehoe. The 15-year-old wrote in the note, which is addressed to Ms Willis, that he hated his natural mother and saw her as "more of a mum" than Ms Kehoe.

The letter read: "Don't tell dad I have been in touch.

"I love you more than that cow of a mother I have.

"I miss you and I wish I could talk to you without anyone knowing.

"Dad really does love you much more than Mairead, I know that because he told me, everyone knows that."

The case continues, although the court is not sitting today.

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