Mick Philpott

Case record: Michael “Mick” Philpott (born 1956)

Background

Michael “Mick” Philpott was an Englishman who had gained notoriety as a criminal and for his polyamorous and benefits-funded lifestyle. He caused the deaths of six of his children by arson and was sentenced to life imprisonment for their manslaughter in April 2013. He was described by psychologist Glenn Wilson as clinically a “psychopath” and “exhibitionist” with “anti-social personality disorder”.

Philpott had fathered 17 children by various women.

Relationships and prior violence

Philpott’s attitude to women was described as “controlling”, “domineering”, “violent”, and “manipulative”. In July 1978, aged 21, while absent without leave from the army, he attempted to murder his girlfriend Kim Hill with whom he had had a two-year relationship, beginning when she was 15 years old.

He had previously shot Hill in the groin with a crossbow because he felt her dress had been too short, and had cracked her kneecap with a hammer when she paid too much attention to a baby she had been minding. Philpott attempted to kill Hill because she sent him a letter saying she was leaving him. He stabbed her over a dozen times as she was lying in bed. He stabbed her mother when she came to her daughter’s aid. Hill suffered collapsed lungs, and a punctured bladder, kidney and liver, which she believed caused her subsequent liver cancer.

Philpott was convicted of attempted murder of Hill, and grievous bodily harm with intent against her mother, and was sentenced to seven years in prison in December 1978. He was released after three years and two months.

Philpott married Pamela Lomax in 1986. They had three children with Lomax: two sons and a daughter. Lomax said Philpott was controlling, and she prayed he would move on to someone else. Philpott met Heather Kehoe, who was then aged 14, in Rainworth, Nottinghamshire, when he was 37. Kehoe ran away from her parents to live with Philpott. She gave birth to two children, both boys, in quick succession, but Philpott wanted a daughter and beat Kehoe for this reason. She described Philpott teaching his older sons to be violent with her.

Philpott wanted Kehoe to produce more children, but she did not conceive again. When Kehoe tried to run away, Philpott threatened her with violence that he would do with her as he had done with Kim Hill.

In 1991, Philpott was given a two-year conditional discharge for assault occasioning actual bodily harm for headbutting a colleague.

In 2000, Philpott met Mairead Duffy, a 19-year-old single mother born in England to an Irish family, who had left a previous abusive relationship. They married in May 2003.

In 2001, Philpott met Lisa Willis, a 16-year-old orphan and single mother. In 2002, Philpott invited Willis to move into his council house. After moving in, Philpott began to beat Willis after accusing her of lying over the father of her child.

Willis was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Mick and Mairead.

On 23 December 2002, Kehoe gained legal custody of her two children.

Philpott marked this event each year by smashing the family’s Christmas tree, and the violence showed his anger at his children being taken away.

Later incidents mentioned before 2012 fire

Philpott instructed Mairead to have an abortion after she became pregnant to another man while the couple were dogging, an activity they began participating in during 2011.

In 2010, Philpott was given a police caution for slapping his wife and dragging her outside by her hair.

At a court hearing a week before the fire, involving a road rage incident during November 2011 in which he had punched another driver, Philpott had pled guilty to common assault but denied dangerous driving. At that hearing, he was bailed and was awaiting trial.

Philpott and Lisa Willis became estranged in February 2012, and she left to live with her sister and brother-in-law, along with her four children by Philpott and her son by a different father.

Media coverage and public appearances (2006–2007)

In 2006, Philpott was heavily criticised in the tabloid media when he requested a larger council house to house his family. At that time, the family consisted of his wife Mairead (then aged 25), his mistress Lisa Willis (then 22), and four children born to Mrs. Philpott (three to Lisa Willis), as well as Lisa Willis’s child fathered prior to meeting him. The 1978 conviction for attempted murder was revealed at this time.

After Willis gave birth to her fourth child by Philpott in 2006, press revealed both she and Mairead Philpott were expecting babies due in March 2007.

In 2007, Philpott appeared on The Jeremy Kyle Show to defend his lifestyle. He said he would like to marry one woman and divorce the other, to be fair, and added that he would have a vasectomy.

He appeared in a documentary, Ann Widdecombe Versus the Benefits Culture (2007), in which Ann Widdecombe spent a week with him and tried to get him to change his lifestyle. The documentary showed Philpott living in a caravan in his garden, where his wife and mistress alternated in spending nights with him. Widdecombe said Philpott did not care about anyone and called both his wife and mistress “bitch”. She said she noticed that none of the children sought affection from him.

Widdecombe found Philpott three jobs, one of which was with a barrel-making firm, but he did not turn up for work on the first day and the job fell through.

Philpott later said: “They always come up with the same excuses. They’re just not good enough. I love my country, but at the moment I feel ashamed of it. I think the country is going down the pan.”

He also told Kyle on The Jeremy Kyle Show: “very, very defensive”

He said: “Do they know me as a family, do they know my kids? I don’t think so.”

He said: “Anybody who wants to see me, my other partner and my kids - they can come and stop with me for a week and I guarantee after a week they’ll be amazed, especially at the way my children behave. My children are brought up properly.”

The offence

Arson and deaths at Philpott’s home in 2012

On 11 May 2012, the family’s home at 18 Victory Road, Allenton, Derby, was seriously damaged by fire at around 4am. Five children—Jade (10), John (9), Jack (7), Jesse (6) and Jayden (5) Philpott—were asleep upstairs and all died at the scene. Their half-brother, Duwayne Philpott (13), died in hospital three days later.

In the days following the fire, the family’s local Catholic church held memorial services. On 16 May, Philpott and his wife held an emotional news conference, in which they purported to describe the events concerning the fire. A charity, Catch Me When I Fall, was set up by local residents to help the family of the children. A book of condolence at Derby Cathedral was later signed by hundreds of people.

The children’s joint funeral took place on 22 June 2012 at St Mary’s Church, Derby. Mick and Mairead Philpott, by then on remand on murder charges, were denied leave to attend.

Post-mortem tests revealed that the children died of smoke inhalation.

Investigation

Police stated that petrol had been found inside the letterbox, which sparked a murder investigation.

Lisa Willis, Philpott’s live-in mistress, had left the family home with her four children a few months before the fire, and a custody hearing for these children was scheduled for the morning of the fire. Willis and her brother-in-law Ian Cousins were initially arrested on suspicion of murder but were released without charge.

Philpott behaved erratically for someone who had recently lost several of his children, according to witnesses, and appeared to like the attention.

The police bugged the Philpotts’ hotel room, gaining evidence confirming the couple were responsible for the fire, including involvement of Paul Mosley, with whom Mairead Philpott was heard engaging in sexual intercourse.

A discarded petrol container and glove had been found near the house. In November, forensic investigators discovered that the clothes of the Philpotts and Mosley had petrol on them.

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cotterill said: “While I thank those members of the community who have come forward with information I am surprised by how few people have contacted us. Normally in cases of this scale more information is passed to the police...I strongly suspect that there is someone out there in the community who knows more than we are being told.”

Police confirmed that the fire was started deliberately, with petrol underneath the letterbox. They stated: “Initial indications are that it was deliberately set and as a result six children have been unlawfully killed.”

A Home Office pathologist carried out post-mortem examinations.

Arrest and charges

On 14 May, police stated petrol had been found inside the letterbox.

Philpott and his wife were arrested on suspicion of murder on 28 May 2012. After seeking additional time for questioning, the couple were charged with murder on 30 May 2012.

On 5 November 2012, a 49-year-old man and a 45-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of murder. Later that day, the 45-year-old man, Paul Mosley, was charged with murder. The other man was released without charge.

Mosley appeared in court the following day. In December 2012 his charge was downgraded to manslaughter.

Paul Mosley had previously been arrested in the enquiry and was released on bail in June 2012. He was re-arrested and charged when petrol was found on his clothing following further forensic examination.

In December 2012, the charges were reduced to manslaughter because it was decided that Philpott and his wife had not intended to kill their children.

Trial

The trial was held at Nottingham Crown Court beginning on 12 February 2013.

Richard Latham QC led the prosecution on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service. Anthony Orchard QC led the defence for Mick Philpott. Sean Smith QC led the defence for Mairead Philpott. Benjamin Nolan QC led the defence for Mosley.

On 2 April, Mick and Mairead, along with Paul Mosley, were each found guilty of the manslaughter of the six children. Verdicts were by unanimous verdicts for Mick Philpott and Paul Mosley, and by majority verdict for Mairead Philpott.

A judge, Mrs Justice Thirlwall, postponed sentencing that was due to take place on 3 April so that she could consider the sentence.

Philpott’s prior criminal convictions were disclosed at this point, after having not been revealed to the jury.

In court on 2 April, Philpott said: “It’s not over yet.”

Sentencing

Sentencing took place on 4 April 2013.

Philpott was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum tariff of 15 years. His wife and Mosley were each sentenced to 17 years (serving at least half before any release on licence).

Aftermath

A new legal identity was given to Lisa Willis and her children to protect them from being the subject of media attention.

Funeral service and memorials included a church service held in memory of the children at the Catholic church of St George’s in Littleover.

Derbyshire Police and Philpott’s family gave statements after the fire.

Detective Constable Maria Needs read a statement in which Dawn Bestwick said:

“My family and I have attended court each and every day and listened objectively to all the evidence in this trial to understand what happened to our six beautiful children on May 11, 2012.
Our presence in court was to find out the truth. Following today’s verdict, we the family of Michael Philpott, believe justice has been served.”

The Duffy family statement included:

“On 11 May 2012 Duwayne, Jade, John, Jack, Jesse and Jayden were taken away in the cruellest way imaginable by the very people who were supposed to love and protect them.
We, Mairead’s family, cannot describe the pain we feel. Today, justice has been served and we are happy with the verdict. We would like to thank everybody involved in this case.”

Derbyshire Chief Constable Steve Cotterill said:

“This has to be one of, if not the most upsetting cases any of us has ever investigated.
'This is a shocking case for everyone involved. Six young children lost their lives needlessly in a fire and all our efforts have been focused on getting justice for those children.”

Samantha Shallow, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said:

“Today’s verdict shows that the children died as a result of the actions of Michael and Mairead Philpott and Paul Mosley when they set the fire.
It was started as a result of a plan between the three of them to turn family court proceedings in Mr Philpott’s favour. It was a plan that went disastrously and tragically wrong.
This has been a challenging and harrowing case to prosecute.”

Other details

Philpott was reported to have made “valiant” attempts to save the children.

Two adults suffered minor injuries in the fire, but they were not formally identified.

A pre-scheduled court hearing involving Willis and Philpott was postponed due to the tragedy.

On 16 May, detectives confirmed that the seat of the fire was below the letterbox in the hallway of the house and that petrol was used as the accelerant.

An inquest into the children’s deaths was opened and adjourned at Derby Coroner’s Court. Coroner Dr Robert Hunter appealed to those responsible to come forward out of human decency and assist the police with their inquiries.

Funeral service details included that Mick and Mairead were refused prison leave to attend over fears for their safety.

Police reported that Philpott’s behaviour following the fire was “unusual”. One constable said Philpott showed “no emotion” and acted as if at a social event.

In addition to the bugged hotel room evidence, trial-related accounts included a 999 call made by the Philpotts from the garden of their Derby home. Philpott shouted: “I can’t listen to it” and attempted to leave the dock, but was subdued by security staff. His wife’s wailing could be heard in the background.

During recorded evidence, Philpott was heard telling his wife: “It’s my fault that half the family’s gone. I should have seen it all coming, duck.”

Philpott was heard in another recording telling Mairead in a police van: “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.”

In court, prosecutor Richard Latham QC said Philpott “just wanted a house full of kids and the benefit money that brings”.

Dave Coss, watch manager at Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, was part of the team that investigated the fire and said the children “didn’t stand a chance”.

In the trial accounts, temperatures in the upstairs bedrooms of 18 Victory Road in Allenton, Derby, were said to have reached more than 500C (932F) during the blaze.

Evidence at trial described a plan to set up Lisa Willis.

Prosecutor James House described Philpott with the quote:

“He is a person who controls, who manipulates, and when that does not work he resorts to threats and then to violence,”

“They are actions a sensible and reasonable person would not undertake but he has done when he believes things are going against him.”

Paul Mosley told police: “The only thing I did wrong that night was bang Mairead over the snooker table.”

Philpott claimed during the trial that traces of petrol were found on him only because he had not bathed for three months, and that the petrol had been there for several weeks from another incident.

During the sentencing period, press and trial accounts included statements by Philpott’s sister Dawn Bestwick, including “justice has been served”.

A spectator in the public gallery shouted: “You murdering b******. You heard me. I told you didn’t I.”

Another spectator in the public gallery shouted: “No f***** listened to me from day one.”

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cotterill’s earlier quoted statement also appeared in relation to the investigation.

A charity and condolence efforts were organised after the fire, including a fund to pay for the funerals that raised over £11,000 by members of the public living in the same area as the Philpotts.

Bobby Sutherland, who was said to be inspired to set up a charity, said: “Yeah they can slag him off, but he loved his kids. Who doesn’t make a mistake? 'Yeah, you make mistakes but you don’t deserve that. Nobody deserves that. You know what I mean?”

Philpott had also been cautioned and was awaiting trial for road rage at the time described as a week before the fire.

Philpott also appeared described as “Shameless Mick” in relation to benefit claims and refusal to get a job.