Mother accused of killing six children in blaze denies involvement but admits it is 'possible' her husband started blaze

A mother accused of killing her six children in a house fire has told a court it was 'possible' that her husband got out of bed to start the blaze.
Mairead Philpott told jurors she did not know who had started the fire at her home because she was asleep at the time it started.
During the second day of giving evidence at Nottingham Crown Court, Mrs Philpott also denied 'working together as a team' with her husband Mick to cover up their alleged involvement in the fire.

Mairead Philpott told jurors she did not know who had set the fire at her home because she was asleep 

Mrs Philpott, 31, Mick Philpott, 56, and their friend Paul Mosley, 46, all deny the manslaughter of the six children who died in the fire in Victory Road, Derby.

Asked by prosecutor Richard Latham QC whether she was suggesting that her husband had got out of bed shortly before the fire in the early hours of May 11 last year, Mrs Philpott replied: 'It's possible, I don't know because I was asleep.'

Accused: Michael Philpott pictured with the six children who died in the house fire. Philpott, his wife and a third defendant deny six counts of manslaughter in relation to the deaths of the six children

Mr Latham then asked Mrs Philpott: 'Are you saying that there is a possibility that your husband set this fire behind your back literally?'
Mrs Philpott replied: 'I honestly don't know.

Mairead Philpot (left) and her husband Mick deny the manslaughter of the six children who died in the house fire 

'I can't rule out anybody - I just don't know who set the fire.'
During detailed questioning about the covert police recordings, Mrs Philpott said of her earlier evidence: 'I said I didn't know if Mick is capable of doing it - I don't know if he has done it or not.'
But Mr Latham submitted that the evidence in the case meant the 'scenario' in which Mick Philpott had committed arson alone could sensibly be ignored.
Accusing Mrs Philpott of lying, the prosecutor added: 'Either you are both not guilty and it's a third party, or you knew perfectly well that he did it because you were part of it.
'The jury, being sensible about it, can really put on one side this idea that he did it behind your back.'
Mr Latham went on to question Mrs Philpott about traces of petrol found on her leggings, a thong and a sink at the fire-hit house.
Mr Latham asked: 'What was going on with Total petrol in that sink that night?'
Mrs Philpott, who claims to have found out that the house was on fire only after being woken by a smoke alarm, replied: 'I don't know.'
The jury, which is hearing the sixth week of evidence in the trial, was also played a near two-minute section of a 999 call made by Mrs Philpott.
The Crown alleges that the children's mother was 'amazingly calm' during the call and has lied about the circumstances in which it was made.
At the conclusion of her evidence, Mrs Philpott denied that all three defendants had 'thought up' the fire as a way to blacken the name of her husband's former mistress.

Scene: The children, five boys and a girl, aged between five and 13, died in the fire at their house in Derby, pictured. Flowers were left at the scene

'I have told the truth,' Mrs Philpott said. 'I don't know why there is petrol on my clothing.'
Philpott told the court last week that he had nothing to do with starting the fire and did not want to be seen as a hero for trying to save his children from the blaze.
It is alleged that the Philpotts set the fire at their home to frame his former mistress, whom he was due to face in court later the same day to discuss custody of their children.
Mosley, of Cecil Street, Derby, is alleged to have taken part in a 'rehearsal' prior to the fire.
Jade Philpott, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, perished in the blaze.
Duwayne, 13, died in Birmingham Children's Hospital days later.
The trial was adjourned until tomorrow.

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