Trio deny murdering four children in house blaze
DEFENDANTS IN COURT JOINTLY CHARGED WITH EIGHT OFFENCES
THREE people have appeared in court to deny murdering four children who died in a house fire.
Zak Bolland, 23, Courtney Brierley, 20, and David Worrall, 25, are jointly charged with eight offences and yesterday they appeared before a judge at Manchester Crown Court to formally plead not guilty to all the charges.
They are scheduled to go on trial at the same court in front of High Court judge Mr Justice Davis on April 30.
All three defendants are charged with the murders of Demi Pearson, 15, her eight-year-old brother Brandon, and their sisters sevenyear-old Lacie, and three-year-old Lia.
They entered not guilty pleas to these charges.
The three defendants are also charged with three counts of attempted murder.
The first relates to the attempted murder of the children’s mother, Michelle Pearson, 35, and the next two relate to two juveniles who cannot be named for legal reasons.
Further not guilty pleas were entered in relation to these charges.
Ms Pearson was left in a critical condition following the fire, and she is still heavily sedated in hospital, where she is undergoing treatment almost three months on.
The final charge the three defendants face is of arson with intent to endanger life. They also pleaded not guilty to this.
There were tears in the public gallery as the pleas were entered.
Ms Brierley, of Worsley Avenue, Walkden, appeared in court via video link, and prosecutor Paul Reid QC explained she was in prison in ‘another part of the country.’
Mr Bolland, of Blackleach Drive, Walkden, and Mr Worrall, of no fixed address, appeared in the dock in court.
All three defendants spoke only to confirm their names.
The emergency services were called to the Pearson family’s midterraced home in Jackson Street, Walkden, shortly after 5am on December 11 last year to reports of a fire.
The case was adjourned until next month and all three defendants were remanded in custody.