Paul Mosley told cops he had sex with Mairead Philpott on night of house fire

A FAMILY friend of the Philpotts, jointly accused of killing their six children in a house fire, could not explain to police why there was petrol on his clothing on the night of the blaze, a court heard.

And Paul Mosley also told officers that he had sex with Mairead Philpott at 18 Victory Road just hours before the fire.

Yesterday police interviews with Mosley were read out at Nottingham Crown Court.

The 45-year-old father-of-two stands accused along with 57-year-old Philpott and his 31-year-old wife of the manslaughter of the couple's six children.

Duwayne, 13, Jade, 10, John, nine, Jack, seven, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, all died after a fire at their Allenton home last May.

Mosley told police that on the night of the blaze the Philpotts wanted him to babysit while they went out "dogging", which is the practice of having sex in public or watching others do so.

But Mosley said he refused to babysit so the couple did not go out.

Detective Constable Maria Neads, who interviewed Mosley a number of times between May 11 and November 5, read out her questions in court.

James House, prosecuting, read out Mosley's answers.

The court was told how Mosley was first interviewed under caution on June 20, again on September 5 at the end of his initial bail period, and again on November 5 after he was re-arrested and charged.

Det Con Neads opened the November 5 interview with the question: "Did you start the fire at 18 Victory Road?"

Mosley answered: "No comment."

Det Con Neads asked: "Did you assist in starting the fire?"

Mosley said: "No, I could not hurt children.

"I did not do anything, I had nothing to do with this.

"All I want is to get my life back, all I want is a normal life."

Det Con Neads said: "On the night of the fire you were at the house, while you were there, did you talk to Mick and Mairead about starting this fire?"

Mosley answered: "No comment."

Det Con Neads asked: "Were there any discussions about starting a fire?"

Mosley replied: "No comment. I am not involved in this.

"I have not done anything to start a fire or hurt any kids. I am with my solicitor and I am just going to go 'no comment' from now on."

During a second interview, also on November 5, Det Con Neads disclosed to Mosley's solicitor that the questions that she was about to ask would be about petrol that was found on Mosley's clothing after it was seized from the house he was living in, in Newdigate Street.

She asked Mosley: "Why have the three of you (Philpott, his wife and Mosley) all got the same petrol on your clothing?"

Mosley replied: "You tell me, duck."

Det Cons Neads said: "No you tell me."

Mosley said: "I might have spilled some petrol on me when I filled up my missus's car.

"If I had anything to do with this I would have told you."

He said the only thing he did wrong that night was to have sex with Mairead "over the snooker table".

Det Cons Neads asked: "Is this something that got out of hand and those children ended up dying?"

Mosley replied: "I had nothing to do with it."

The court also heard extracts from an interview on September 7.

Det Cons Neads asked Mosley: "While you were at the house did you see any petrol containers?"

Mosley replied: "No, nothing, nothing at all."

Det Cons Neads asked: "Did Mick leave the house that night except to go on the drugs trip (the court has previously heard how Philpott, his wife and neighbour Adam Taylor had gone to buy cannabis)?"

Mosley said: "Not that I remember. Mairead might have disappeared for five minutes, I never left the house."

During Mosley's original interview, conducted on June 20 after his first arrest, he was questioned about how Philpott had asked him to babysit on the night of the fire while he and Mairead went out at midnight.

Det Cons Neads asked: "Did you think it bizarre to be asked to babysit at midnight on the morning of the fire?"

Mosley answered: "No, that is the sort of thing Mick would do, it was not unusual."

Det Cons Neads asked: "You thought they might go to the park?"

Mosley said: "Yes."

Det Cons Neads asked: "Why would they go to the park?"

Mosley answered: "I don't know."

Det Cons Neads said: "You thought they were going to have sex?"

Mosley said: "Yes."

Det Cons Neads said: "Were they going dogging?"

Mosely replied: "Yes."

Det Cons Neads asked Mosley to "clarify some discrepancies" he had given in previous witness statements to the police following the fire.

She asked him: "Are you carrying any guilt?"

Mosely said: "No, I just want to go home and see my kids and my missus."

Det Cons Neads asked: "What are you hiding Paul?"

Mosley replied: "No comment."

The trial continues.

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