Philpott fire trial day 14: Listen to Philpott's 999 call

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

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

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Duwayne Philpott, 13, his sister, Jade, 10, and their brothers, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six and Jayden, five, all died from the effects of smoke inhalation after flames tore through their home in Victory Road, Allenton, on May 11 last year.

Day 14 of the trial

This afternoon the court has been played the 999 call made by the Philpotts at the time of the fire.

LISTEN TO THE 999 TAPE HERE Please be aware that you may find this distressing.

TRANSCRIPT OF THE 999 CALL

The call lasts eight minutes.

Operator: Emergency, which service?

Mairead: Hello.

Operator: Do you need fire, police or ambulance?

Mairead: All three please.

Michael: Tell 'em the kids are in the bedroom

Mairead: My kids are in the bedroom. Me house is on fire.

Operator: Yeah, hello, police, emergency.

Operator: Just connecting a multiple request for all three services.

Mairead: 18 Victory Road, 18 Victory Road, 18 Victory Road, my house is on fire, my kids are in bed.

Operator: What address?

Mairead: 18 Victory Road.

Operator: At 18, where's Victory Road?

Mairead: Erm, Allenton, Derby.

Operator: Your house is on fire at 18 Victory Road and the kids are inside?

Mairead: Yeah, me kids are in bed.

Operator: OK. Where are you? Where are you phoning from now?

Mairead: Erm, I'm in the garden, I'm in the back garden

Operator: You're in the back, back garden, 18 Victory Road.

Mairead: Yeah, I can't...

Operator: 18 Victory Road. What's your name, duck?

Mairead: I can't get, get into my kids. Mrs Philpott.

Operator: Mrs Philpott, how many kids are in the house, Mrs Philpott, and where are they?

Mairead: There's six. There's six of them.

Operator: Sorry.

Mairead: There's six of them.

Michael: (Bang bang) I can't get in the window, duck.

Operator: You've got six kids in the house.

Mairead: Yeah.

Unknown: Mairead.

Operator: Right. Where are the kids? Do you know?

Mairead: They're upstairs in three bedrooms.

Operator: They're upstairs in their bedrooms. Where's the fire?

Mairead: Here. It's, I don't know. It's at the front of the house somewhere.

Operator: It's at the front of the house somewhere.

Mairead: Yeah.

Operator: Can you hear, are there any flames there?

Michael: Smoke's everywhere.

Mairead: Oh my God, please.

Operator: It's alright, we've got the fire service coming on their way. Can you see any flames or anything?

Mairead: Oh God, I can't say from in here.

Operator: Sorry, can, can, can you see...

Mairead: He's just, he just smashed the bedroom window open and there's smoke.

Operator: Sorry.

Mairead: My husband's just smashed the bedroom window open and there's smoke coming from everywhere.

Operator: Your husband has just smashed the bedroom window.

Mairead: Yeah.

Michael: I can't get in.

Michael: Hello.

Operator: Yes, alright.

Michael: Please mate, I can't get in the house, my babies are upstairs.

Operator: We've got the fire service on their way.

Michael: I can't get out.

Operator: Right. It's alright. You, you, you talk to me.

Michael: Huh, huh, huh. Please mate.

Operator: The fire service are on their way.

Michael: I've tried to get in the bedroom. I can't get in.

Operator: Right, how old are the kids?

Michael: Get outside quick. (whispers)

Operator: Hello there Mr Philpott, how old are the kids?

Mairead: Please.

Operator: Hello. Can you talk to me?

(inaudible)

Operator: Talk to me.

Michael: I can't get in the bedroom, mate.

Operator: Yeah.

Michael: I can't get in me bedroom, the kids are all upstairs, six of 'em.

Operator: Is it a terraced house?

Michael: Please.

Operator: Er, yeah we've got some, we've got the police on their way, have you any idea what caused the fire?

Michael: I've no idea mate, we've just been woke up by the alarm.

Michael: There's smoke everywhere.

Operator: There's smoke everywhere.

Mariead: The electric's gone.

Michael: Me electrics gone and all my babies are all upstairs.

Operator: You're alright, you've in the garden are you?

Michael: I'm round the back mate. I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't get out. (inaudible)

Operator: OK. What's your name please?

Michael: Michael, I'm the, the Daddy.

Operator: OK.

Michael: I can't get in.

Operator: Sorry. Alright yeah I know that. We've got the fire service on their way to you.

Michael: (coughing) I didn't open the door.

Operator: Sorry.

Michael: I can't open the door.

Unknown: Come round the other side door, both the doors are locked.

Operator: Right. Can you, Michael, can you see any flames?

Michael: No all I can see is black smoke. I can't see anything else than black smoke.

Michael: Mairead, don't go round there.

Mairead: There's somebody out there.

Michael: Help me. Who is it?

Mairead: Help. (inaudible)

Michael: Who's that? Help me. Me babies are trapped inside the house.

Operator: It's alright.

Michael: Help me.

Operator: We've, we've got people on their way.

Michael: Get down.

Operator: We've got the fire service are on their way.

Michael: Please hurry up.

Operator: Yeah but Michael, Michael.

Michael: What?

Michael: My babies are...

Operator: Michael, I need you to calm down and give you some advice. Michael, Michael.

Michael: God please help me.

Operator: It's alright if you go outside now and speak to our police officers. they're there.

Michael: I can't get out mate, I'm stuck in the back because there's the caravan at the side of the house and there's smoke all downstairs.

Operator: Alright yeah. But is there someone round at the front.

Michael: Yeah, we're stuck in the back. We can't get, we can't get round. I can't get round to my babies.

Operator: OK. OK. We've got police officers at the front now. If, now upstairs in the bedrooms. Where are the kids?

Michael: Oh my God. What was that?

Operator: Michael.

Michael: Who is it?

Unknown: (inaudible) Daniel.

Michael: Adam mate the babies are stuck inside and I can't get to them.

Operator: Michael, who are you talking to now?

Michael: My neighbour Adam. Adam, where are you? I can't get in the house.

Operator: Michael, Michael talk to me.

Operator: Up upstairs. Upstairs.

Operator: Are the kids in the front or the back bedroom?

Unknown: (inaudible) What, where's the big... (inaudible)

Michael: I don't know mate.

Operator: Michael.

Michael: Yes mate.

Operator: Michael, are the kids in the front or the back bedroom?

Michael: They're in the back bedroom mate.

Operator: Michael.

Michael: Yes mate.

Operator: Michael, are the kids in the front or the back bedroom?

Michael: They're in the back bedroom mate.

Operator: All of them?

Michael: All of them yeah. I, we just can't get in. There's smoke everywhere. (starts coughing)

Operator: Yeah it's alright, yeah.

Operator: The fire service will be with you very shortly.

Operator: Michael.

Michael: Yes.

Operator: How old are the kids?

Michael: Erm the youngest is erm, erm, erm, five and the eldest is, is, the oldest is, is 11.

Unknown: Have you got a hammer Mick?

Michael: Ay?

Unknown: you got a hammer? You got a hammer?

Operator: Yeah, anything...

Michael: Erm I can't see out here.

Mairaid: Have we got something to bang the door down with (inaudible) anything.

Operator: Yeah the trouble is you might spread the fire if we do that.

Operator: Can, can you go through your neighbour's property and speak to our police officers out there.

Michael: I've got a ladder 'ere mate and I've smashed the window. I can't, I can't get in. There's no noise from the children. There's no noise from my children. There's no noise from my children.

Unknown: Mick, I've got it, Mick.

Operator: Are they all, how many you say the kids are there?

Unknown: Where are you? Open a window.

Operator: Michael, who are you talking to now?

Michael: Me neighbours have come to help me.

Operator: Yeah.

Michael: We can't get in the bedroom.

Operator: Right. OK Michael, Michael.

Unknown: Michael, come on man.

Michael: I can't get in.

Operator: OK yeah. Michael, we've got police officers at the front.

Michael: Somebody's here, I don't know who it is.

Operator: We've got the police there.

Michael: I don't know, Mairead, where are you?

Michael: Please.

Mairead: My babies, please.

Michael: Come here, come here, shh, shh, shh.

Operator: Michael?

Mairead: (wailing)

Michael: The babies are in the house, yeah.

Operator: Michael. How many kids are there?

Michael: There's six of 'em, one, me daughter and five boys

Operator: Six children, right.

Michael: There's some coming out everywhere.

Operator: One girl and five boys.

Michael: Yeah.

Operator: OK.

Michael: I tried to get up mate, I couldn't get in the bedroom... I couldn't get in the window. I couldn't get in. I've smashed it but I just can't get in.

Operator: Right OK. So we have got the police officers around the front.

Michael: Yeah there's some everywhere. (sobs)

Operator: OK yeah.

Unknown: Hello, hello, it's the police.

Michael: I'm here mate, where are ya?

Unknown: Come on mate, it's alright.

Michael: My babies are inside. The police are, the police are here now.

Operator: Yeah, ay, Michael, is Lisa Willis out of the address?

Michael: Pardon?

Operator: You're talking to the police now, is Lisa out of the address?

Michael: Mate, they're in the bedroom here, I can't get at them.

Unknown: Come on mate, come out of the way, come out of the way.

Operator: Michael, is Lisa out of the address?

Michael: Yes mate.

Operator: Yes she's out of the address

Operator: It's the children that are at the address. There's no adults in the address.

Michael: No, no adults or 'owt, it's just the babies.

Operator: You talk to our, you talk to our police officers.

Michael: Alright mate.

Operator: OK Michael.

Unknown: Do you want to come out?

Operator: Thank you very much.

(Call ends)

UPDATES FROM THE TRIAL AS IT HAPPENED

4.05pm The trial is adjourned until Monday morning.

4pm In conclusion, Mr Lee tells the court: "The fire started in the hallway directly behind the front door. Petrol vapours were ignited by a spark or more likely a naked flame by a person.

"The fire developed at the upvc door and quickly spread up the stairs aided by a man-made carpet and wooden material."

3.55pm The jury is told how the fire dog was then placed inside the property.

Mr Lee said: "At first, there was no indication on ignitable liquid, then we lifted some of the fallen plaster and debris and, straight away, the dog showed interest.

"We lifted a small section of carpet underlay, it smelled heavily of petrol. We ran the dog up the stairs and into the lounge area and it showed no interest. It just kept coming back to this same small section in the hallway."

3.45pm The court hears how, in the third bedroom, firefighters emptied drawers and cupboards looking for a child due to confusion whether Jesse was a boy or a girl.

Mr Lee said: "There was some confusion about an extra child that might have been unaccounted for. There wasn't this other child but there was some mess made during the rescue attempt."

He added: "The burn patterns and smoke signs throughout the property led us to conclude there was just the one seat of fire. That was inside the hallway and the fire spread from there.

"We ran the dog along the doormat and there was no sign of burning or an indication of any accelerant. The dog was not interested in the doormat or the immediate area outside the property."

3.30pm Mr Lee tells the court: "On examination, I concluded that all the bedroom doors were open during the fire."

3.20pm Mr Lee said: "The fact there was more of the handle mechanism and door edge leading to the outside led us to conclude more of the fire was on the inside of the hallway rather than the outside.

"The wooden panels that lined the stairs would have acted as food for the fire."

3.10pm The jury is told by Mr Lee: "The front door had effectively disappeared. It was pretty much gone, the locking mechanism indicated it was locked."

3.05pm Mr Lee said: "I believe the curtains were open during the fire."

3pm Mr Lee tells the jury: "There was only one seat of fire, the heat and smoke damage in the lounge was from a secondary fire where the initial fire was looking for an escape route."

The court hears how firefighter Dave Coss and fire dog Freckle came into the house, with the animal's role to detect ignitable liquid.

Mr Lee said: "The dog found no accelerant in the lounge area."

2.55pm The court hears how Mr Lee said there was no smoke damage to the games room, conservatory or kitchen at the back of the property.

He said: "The door that linked the lounge and kitchen would have been shut during the fire."

2.40pm Mr Lee tells the court: "That window only being slightly open meant the fire did not have a good escape route so, sadly, the smoke from this window went into the bedroom.

"All the rooms were heavily smoke-logged."

2.35pm The court is told by Mr Lee how the front downstairs window looked like it was open while the fire took hold.

He said soot and smoke deposits led his team to this conclusion.

2.30pm Mr Lee tells the jury the fire investigation team arrived to start their work analysing the scene at 11.47am on May 11.

He said there were smoke alarms downstairs and upstairs at the house.

2.15pm The first witness this afternoon will be fire investigator Mat Lee, who examined 18 Victory Road.

The case is adjourned until 2.10pm.

12.40pm Mick Philpott is excused from the dock as the court prepares to hear the 999 tape played again.

Mairead sobs in the dock as the 999 tape is replayed.

On the tape, Philpott is heard screaming: "They are all in the back bedroom. I can't get in, there's smoke everywhere. I smashed the back window, I can't get in."

Mick re-enters the courtroom. The press conference is now being played in court. Mick and Mairead are both crying.

11.30am The defence calls forensic speech analyst, Dr Martin Barry.

Dr Barry said he used software and a piece of equipment called a spectogram to analyse speech.

Dr Barry said using his spectogram he could not decipher the words "I did not mean to do it" - which the prosecution say Philpott was heard to say on a police recording - in the transcript.

He told the court he listened to that section of the recording "many thousands of times".

Mr Latham, for the prosecution, said to Dr Barry: "I suggest to you that those words are there."

Dr Barry answered: "Out of the question."

10.30am The case is about to resume. It will continue with covert recordings taken at the Premier Inn hotel and later in the police van taking the Philpotts to Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court following their arrest.

Mick Philpott is wearing a black suit, a white shirt and a pink tie. Mairead is in a black top and Mosley is in a black jumper and black coat.

The court heard that on May 28, the day before their arrest, Philpott was heard to say at the hotel: "It's my fault half the children have gone."

The court hears that in the police van Philpott said to his wife: "You definitely sticking to the story?".

In a passage from the recordings, disputed by the defence, Philpott told his wife - according to the prosecution - "I did not mean to do it, on my life."

The tape in the police van also hears Philpott say to his wife: "Don't worry baby, we will walk through it unless you want me to blab about it?"

Mrs Philpott said: "No." Philpott said: "It's your decision," the court hears.

Asked by Mr Latham, prosecuting, how many times he listened to that small section of audio, DC Martin Hare, from the police special operations department, said: "Many hundreds of times. Not until we were 100 per cent satisfied that was what Mick Philpott said did we submit it to the court as evidence."

The court hears that Philpott said to his wife: "I can't believe they have tried to blame you, you know?"

Mrs Philpott said: "I know."

Philpott said: "They tried to blame me."

Mrs Philpott said: "They (the police) said `Did you pour the petrol there? 'cause they said something about expert....thingy."

Philpott said: "Loads of ********".

Anthony Orchard QC, for Philpott, said the disputed part of the tape is whether or not his client whispered the words "I didn't mean to do it, on my life."

Mr Orchard said: "I suggest those words are masked by the background noise."

Yesterday the court heard that the night before Mick Philpott was to hold a press conference about the death of his six children, he was bugged telling his wife "you make sure you stick to your story," a court heard.

Philpott and his wife, Mairead, were put up at the Premier Inn in Uttoxeter New Road, Derby, after the blaze at Victory Road, Allenton.

Richard Latham QC, prosecuting in the manslaughter trial at Nottingham Crown Court, read out transcripts taken from recordings taken from a listening device in their hotel room – the contents of which have been agreed between the prosecution and defence barristers.

Philpott, the jury was told, was taped asking his wife: "What did you say about me trying to get in?" Mairead is heard to answer: "You tried everything you could to get in, like I said to them, I wanted to run through the flames up the stairs."

Fellow defendant Paul Mosley visited the couple in the room and parts of recordings were played to jurors that prosecutors said showed sexual activity between the three. Mick is heard telling Mairead to show Mosley "a good time" before leaving the room.

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