Tears in courtroom as girl, 13, tells her daddy’s killer: You stole my superhero
A GIRL of 13 tearfully paid tribute to her ‘superhero’ father and ‘star’ sister in court, before a judge jailed a burglar for killing them in a fire.
Mia Broadhead bravely spoke of how much she missed them, and recalled the trauma of the blaze that ripped through their home.
Daniel Jones, 29, was yesterday jailed for 20 years after being convicted of the manslaughter of Andrew Broadhead, 42, and his daughter Kiera, eight.
The burglar started the fire in the early hours to destroy CCTV evidence of a break-in he had committed at a house across the street.
He stared straight ahead in the dock at Leeds Crown Court as Mia and her mother Sara Broadhead, who managed to escape the burning house, spoke with emotion about their lost loved ones. Mia was 12 at the time of the incident in October last year.
She told the court: ‘My daddy was the world’s greatest superhero and he was my hero. I am thankful for his happiness, kindness and his love for everyone – the way he was positive and how he always lifted everybody’s spirits.’
The teenager was given special permission by the judge to make a courtroom speech and at one point began to cry, wiping away tears as she pressed ahead with her statement.
She added: ‘My sissy was the world’s brightest star and nobody will dull her sparkle.
‘I am thankful for the eight years we had with her – for her kindness, her funniness, her caring for one another and her humour. She didn’t deserve this, neither of them did.’
Mia recalled a baked bean fight they had had and how they were made to clean up, adding: ‘I love my sissy and miss her so much.’ She described how she had suffered nightmares about the horrific blaze – which Jones started by pouring petrol through the letter box and setting it alight.
‘I started to panic and could hear the sounds of the fire, the smell, the smoke and not being able to breathe,’ she said.
Mia added that she could not face going back to school because of cruel comments made by some fellow pupils.
Mrs Broadhead told the court: ‘I was blessed to have Kiera in my life. My little angel was one of a kind – so independent and thoughtful, helpful and kind.
‘In her short eight years, Kiera lived life to the full. She never took anything for granted, was always thankful but, most of all, she loved with a huge heart.
‘The world is going to be a dull place without her smile and laughter and I know she will live on in everyone’s hearts and memories.’
She described Mr Broadhead as an ‘amazing husband and fantastic father’ and said that she could not bear to say goodbye, but ‘one day we will be together again and I will be with my best friend, my soulmate, my world and will love him forever and always’.
Passing sentence Mr Justice Morris said the mother and daughter ‘have to live not only with the trauma of the events that night but with their devastating loss’. He told Jones: ‘You have caused the death of two people and enormous pain and suffering to Sara and Mia Broadhead and their wider family.’
The trial heard Jones, who had big gambling debts, believed he was caught on the Broadheads’ CCTV when he burgled a home across the street in Wakefield to steal a safe three days earlier.
He wrongly thought the Broadheads were away on holiday when in reality they had just returned.
The family of four were asleep inside when Jones started the fire at 4.17am to destroy the camera, which was not actually working properly.
Police released separate CCTV footage showing a man walking towards the property on October 19 last year.
He pours fuel through the letterbox and there is a sudden flash of light as the front door ‘explodes’ in flames.
Earlier footage shows Jones buying 3.75 litres of petrol from a local garage.
Neighbours rescued Mrs Broadhead and Mia, but could not reach Kiera and Mr Broadhead. Their bodies were found by fire crews. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Jones, of Knottingley, West Yorkshire, was found guilty of manslaughter and burglary last month. Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Bryar said it was difficult to describe ‘the sheer madness and callousness’ of Jones’s actions.
‘One day we’ll be together again’