Derby House Fire Accused, Mick And Mairead Philpott, Recorded In Prison Van

'They Have Nothing On Me'

A man accused of killing six of his children in a fatal blaze was heard saying "they have nothing on me" in covert recordings made in a prison van, a court has heard.

Mick and Mairead Philpott were heard talking in the vehicle taking them to Derby Magistrates' Court on 31 May last year.

Nottingham Crown Court has heard the couple were being monitored 24 hours a day by Serious and Organised Crime detectives.

The couple, along with a third defendant, Paul Mosley, are accused of the manslaughter of the Philpotts' six young children in the fatal fire in Allenton, Derby, on 11 May last year. The couple were arrested on 29 May.

In the van, Philpott is heard asking his wife: "Are we sticking to the story?"

Mairead replies: "Hmmm." Mick whispers: "Good."

He then asks her: "Do you know something? Have they got any evidence on you? They've got nothing on me, nothing."

Mairead is heard to say: "There's a fingerprint on the window."

Mick replies: "That's it. A few discrepancies, that's all it is. One with Shakey (Paul Mosley) about I said I was going out for a drive at night. I can't remember saying that, Vicky said you were stoned and I said we didn't smoke."

He is then heard to say to his wife: "I love you so much. Look at me. We will walk free and prove our innocence, right? And then we'll sort them out, promise you."

Mrs Philpott replies: "Yeah, like I said, we can't even bury the kids."

Philpott says again that "they've got nothing" on him.

Six of the Philpott's children died in the house fire last May

He is heard saying: "Mick, my brief, said that for the judge to do what he's doing he's got to have some big balls because there's no evidence, they've got nothing, there's no, no petrol on me, on me trousers, no glass, you know the fireman said he put the window through."

Mrs Philpott replies: "I know."

Philpott says: "I said he f****** didn't, I did."

His wife replies: "Both of 'em and that front room window was open."

Philpott says: "Yeah, I can't understand that." His wife agrees and says: "No, I can't."

Philpott then says: "I said I was told by Jenny that the police had opened it." He adds: "No, we've got nothing to worry, just stick, just stick by what we've said."

A few minutes later he asks his wife: "You definitely sticking with the story?"

A second comment: "I didn't mean to do it, on my life", has been disputed by the defence.

During the ten-minute conversation, Philpott is also heard to say "they tried to blame me". His wife says: "I know."

She adds: "They said 'Did you pour the petrol there?', cause they said summat about erm... expert thingy."

Philpott replies: "Load of bu****it."

His wife is heard to say: "That's why the thingy said just no comment."

Her husband replies: "Yeah, that's right, don't say nothing now, don't say nothing."

Philpott asks his wife: "What did you say? You didn't do it?"

He then says: "Don't you worry, we'll walk through it, I promise you that. Unless you want me to blab about it?"

His wife replies: "No." Philpott then says: "It's your decision."

A written statement was read to the jury from Detective Constable Baldish Chauhal, who attended Birmingham Children's Hospital with the Philpotts to see their eldest son on 12 May.

Duwayne was transferred to the hospital from Derby Royal Hospital following the fire and was fighting for his life on the intensive care unit, the court has heard.

In her statement, Det Con Chauhal said Philpott rushed out of the intensive care unit when the doctor told him the 13-year-old's chances of survival were small.

Minutes later, Philpott was seen on the floor surrounded by family and friends.

In her statement Det Con Chauhal said: "There was a commotion near the stairwell and someone saying Mick had fallen down the stairs.

"Mick was on the floor surrounded by family members and friends."

She said Philpott indicated that he had hit his head on the floor after fainting and was taken for treatment.

Det Con Chauhal also said Philpott fainted following a press conference held for the media on 16 May.

The jury was for the first time shown clips from the press conference, which was held by the couple five days after the blaze.

During the conference, led by Derbyshire Police, the couple thanked friends and emergency services staff for their attempts to rescue their six children.

Det Con Chauhal said in her statement that during a conversation before the conference, Philpott told her how he sang Elvis songs in his spare time and DJed.

She said he then grabbed a tissue out of her hand saying "I need a tissue" before going into the room for the conference, the court heard.

The detective then described how Philpott fell to the floor in the corridor following the press conference and laid in the recovery position.

"After 10 seconds he opened his eyes and got up," Det Con Chauhal said in her statement.

The court also heard the 999 call, which the Philpotts made to emergency services, for a second time.

The trial continues.

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