'Watch these eyes, we didn't start the fire,' Mick Philpott tells police in interview

DETECTIVE Sergeant Steve Barnes said in the final interview with Philpott, he asked him outright: "Were you responsible for the fire at 18 Victory Road?"

Philpott answered: "Watch these eyes, categorically no and neither was my wife.

Interviews were conducted at St Mary's Wharf police station.
Sgt Joanne James interviewed Mairead Philpott after her arrest.

"You have to understand I would chop my arms off to have those kids back with me.

"But me and my wife had nothing to do with that fire."

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DC Barnes said to Philpott: "On May 12 (the day after the fire) the police informed you that accelerant was used to start the fire and for the next few days you went around telling people that it was petrol. We didn't tell you it was petrol."

Philpott answered: "Everyone in our neighbourhood was saying it was petrol. I just assumed. I could not have tried harder to get to my kids, ask anyone."

DC Barnes asked: "Why did you not try to extinguish the fire.?"

Philpott said: "I was trying to get to my kids."

Towards the end of yesterday afternoon the court heard the details of the first two interviews Mairead Philpott gave on May 29, hours after her arrest.

Sergeant Joanne James, who conducted the interviews at St Mary's Wharf police station in Derby, spoke her parts while Mr House read out Mrs Philpott's answers to her questions.

Sgt James asked Mrs Philpott: "What involvement did you have in that fire?"

Mrs Philpott replied: "Nothing."

Sgt James asked: "Do you know who was responsible for the fire?"

Mrs Philpott said: "No."

When asked about the hearing with Miss Willis regarding residency of her five children, Philpott said he believed he was going to win custody of the youngsters.

"We thought we were going to win the children," he said.

The case continues.