Woman accused of murdering her mother-in-law in fire said she tried to save her life

SHE IS ALLEGED TO HAVE STARTED BUNGALOW BLAZE

A MOTHER-OF-FOUR, who is alleged to have deliberately started a fire and murdered her disabled mother-in-law, told a witness she tried to save the victim but “the smoke was too bad”.

In a phone call to friend Katie Joynes, Karen Vamplew said she “forced the door” at Elizabeth Vamplew’s Newark home but was unable to get to her bedroom to rescue her, a jury was told.

Giving evidence, Miss Joynes said the accused then told her the blaze had been started by a cigarette Mrs Vamplew was smoking in bed but that she could not understand that as she “only smoked in the kitchen”.

Vamplew, 43, is on trial for murdering the 77-year-old, known as Anne, who died following a fire at her home in Eton Court, on December 15, 2021. It is alleged Vamplew started the blaze for inheritance money.

The defendant, of King Street, Newark, denies murder and is on trial at Leicester Crown Court.

Miss Joynes said she’d known Vamplew for a number of years and the day after the incident they had a phone conversation about the fatal blaze. The witness said: “She said she forced the door open and tried to run down the hallway to help her mother-in-law but she said the smoke was too bad.”

Prosecutor Peter Joyce KC asked: “Did you ask her anything about the fire?”

Miss Joynes replied: “I asked her what caused the fire and she said she thought it was a cigarette the lady had been smoking in bed.”

Mr Joyce said: “Did she say anything else?”

The witness replied: “Just that it was very, very unlike the lady as she would only ever smoke in the kitchen or at the back door. I remember reassuring Karen she did right by trying to get in and save the lady and reassuring her she did the right thing by leaving because the smoke was too intense.”

In cross-examination, defending barrister Andrew Vout KC suggested to Miss Joynes that some of her recollections of what was said might not be correct. She replied: “There are a lot of things I can’t remember but I remember that.”

Mrs Vamplew’s sister, Jean Scott, told the trial that the victim was “pretty badly disabled” and “a secret smoker” who only ever had a cigarette in the kitchen of her bungalow.

She said carers were needed every day to put her to bed at night and get her up in the morning. The accused received a carer’s allowance for looking after her and had Mrs Vamplew’s

bank card to buy her shopping.

Mr Joyce asked: “Apart from the carers, you and Karen, how much contact did she have with the outside world at all?”

Mrs Scott replied: “Very little.” She said the morning after the fatal fire she and her family went to the bungalow to lay flowers and, while they were there, Vamplew arrived and let herself in, saying she “needed to collect some insurance papers”.

The trial continues.