Sneers from the public as Mick Philpott and wife appear in court

The parents of six children killed in a house fire appeared in court today charged with their murders.


Mick Philpott mouthed a rude word at people in the public gallery after they shouted 'b******' and 'scum' as the charges were read to him and his wife Mairead (pictured in this artist's drawing today) at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court, in Derby. They face six counts of murder following the horrific blaze at their home in the Allenton area of Derby on May 11.

A man and a woman had to be escorted from the court by police and court officials after shouting out "scum" and "bastards" during the 10-minute hearing.

The Philpotts, who showed no emotion as they stood in the dock, were remanded into custody.

They will appear at Nottingham Crown Court tomorrow.

Timeline to tragedy

2006: Mick Philpott came into media spotlight after requesting a larger council house to live with his wife, MISTRESS and eight children

2007: Philpott appeared on the Jeremy Kyle Show, saying that he would like to stick with one woman and have a vasectomy

2007: Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe lived in Philpott's house for a week for a documentary but failed to get him to change his benefit-reliant lifestyle

February 2012: Philpott and mistress Lisa Willis broke up and Willis moved into her sister's house with her five children

May 11: A fire started in the early hours of the morning, killing five children

May 12: Mick Philpott's ex-mistress, Lisa Willis, and her boyfriend Ian Cousins were arrested on suspicion of murder and released without charge

May 13: Another child, Duwayne Philpott, 13, dies in Birmingham Children's Hospital from serious fire-related injuries after Mick and Mairead Philpott decide to switch off his life support machine

May 16: Mick and Mairead Philpott hold an emotional press conference where they state they will donate their son Duwayne's organs

May 30: Mick and Mairead Philpott charged with murder

May 31: Mick and Mairead Philpott to go on trial in Southern Derbyshire magistrates court over the arson attack that caused the death of their children

Mick and Mairead Philpott charged with murdering their six children

The parents of six children who died in a house fire in Derby have been charged with their murder, police confirmed last night.

Michael Philpott, 55, and his wife Mairead, 31, will appear in court tomorrow accused of killing the children, who died after a blaze at a house in Victory Road, Allenton, Derby, on May 11.

Five of the children - four boys and a girl - died on the day of the fire. Their 13-year-old brother died the following day.

Family tragedy: Mick Philpott and his wife Mairead are charged with murdering six of their children

Philpott, 55, and his 31-year-old wife were arrested yesterday morning. Five days after the fire they appeared at a press conference where they cried as they thanked those who tried to save their children.

The couple are due to appear at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court in Derby tomorrow morning.

The charges were confirmed tonight by Derbyshire Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

A CPS spokesman said: 'The evidence was reviewed by a Crown Advocate from the CPS East Midlands Complex Casework Unit, who decided that there was sufficient evidence to charge and that it is in the public interest for a prosecution to take place.

'It is important to note that the defendants are entitled to a fair trial and nothing should be said or reported that would prejudice that right.'

The charges follow a recent appeal for information by Derbyshire Police.

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