They’re all gonna die Court told of ‘feud threat’ before 4 children killed in arson attack
‘We no longer felt safe’
A MAN killed four children in an arson attack as part of a feud with their older brother, a court heard yesterday.
Zak Bolland, 23, allegedly shouted outside their home, ‘All your family’s getting it, they’re all gonna die’ just hours before the petrol bomb attack which also left the children’s mother fighting for her life.
Bolland and the siblings’ older brother Kyle Pearson had been involved in tit- for- tat attacks in a ‘continuing feud’, Manchester Crown Court heard.
Bolland and David Worrall, 25, had been at the Pearson family’s house and made threats with two other men, it is claimed.
Bolland allegedly shouted: ‘Get your son out here … I’m going to break his jaw. I’m going to do your house.’
The court heard he then added: ‘Watch, all your family’s getting it, they’re all gonna die.’
The fire killed Demi Pearson, 15, and siblings Brandon, eight, and Lacie, seven.
Their youngest sister, Lia, three, died two days later in hospital. The children’s mother Michelle Pearson, 37, remains ‘very poorly’ in hospital.
Kyle, 17, and his friend Bobby Harris, 17, who was staying over, jumped from a window and survived. Bolland and Worrall allegedly carried out the attack with help from Bolland’s girlfriend Courtney Brierley, 20, using fuel bought for just £1.50.
The Pearsons’ kitchen window was smashed and two petrol bombs were thrown inside at 5am on December 11.
Paul Reid QC, prosecuting, said: ‘Everyone in the house was asleep upstairs when Bolland and Worrall threw their petrol bombs. ‘The fire from the explosion cut off the normal means of escape from the upper floor.’ Jurors were told that Bolland and Kyle ‘lived around the corner’ from each other in Walkden, Manchester, and were friends until a fortnight before the petrol bombing. Mr Reid said the relationship ‘turned sour’ after Bolland’s car was set alight on November 25 and he blamed Kyle. There followed a series of tit-fortat confrontations between the two, the court heard. In a video inteview with police, Kyle admitted being part of a group which smashed windows at Bolland’s home in revenge for windows being smashed at his mother’s house. After Brierley was allegedly hit in the face in one attack, Bolland went to Mrs Pearson’s rented home, saying he was ‘going to finish her house off’. But officers took no further action due to a ‘ misunderstanding’ she was unwilling to attend court. A cover was fitted on her letter box to prevent ‘ petrol being poured through and set alight’. However, she also asked officials to be moved because she ‘ no longer felt safe’ in her home.
Kyle also told police that after Bolland’s group called at his family’s house at 1am on the night of the fire, police had assured his mother they would drive past the house every hour.
Firemen arrived within minutes of the fire starting and found Mrs Pearson in the bathroom with her youngest daughter, Mr Reid said. Brandon, Lacie and Demi had collapsed in a bedroom, the court heard.
Kyle tried to break down the front door but with ‘tragic irony’ had wedged it too tightly after hearing Bolland’s threats at 1am, Mr Reid said.
Bolland told police he did not realise anyone was in the house. Worrall said he thought they were going to set a bin on fire and did not throw the bombs. Brierley said Bolland ‘exercised a controlling influence’ on her.
All three defendants deny four murders and three attempted murders. Bolland admits arson, which is denied by Worrall and Brierley. The trial continues.