A TERRIFIED child was heard screaming "Mummy" as he suffered fatal burns in a house fire started by his parents, a court in Leeds has been told.
Leeds Crown Court was told yesterday that 21 month old Jim Cunningham died 10 days after suffering 60 per cent burns in the fire at his home in South Parkway, Leeds. His six month old brother, Billy, was also badly burned but survived.
Their parents, Ms Amanda McKenna (21), and Mr Michael Cunningham (27), deny the manslaughter of Jim, causing grievous bodily harm to Billy and four counts of arson.
The Crown alleges the couple started fires at their home on four occasions between February and October 1994 to get compensation to fund their gambling. They claim the fires were started by neighbours who had launched a vendetta against them because they were Irish.
The couple said seven notes, one of which was wrapped round a brick and thrown through their window, were sent to them calling them "Irish bastards" and making threats.
But the Crown said that in police interviews later, Ms McKenna admitted she had written all seven notes and started the fire "to get out of the street and get back to Ireland".
The court was told the final fire on October 2nd, got out of hand and the couple were forced to jump out of their bedroom window, leaving the children in their cots. A neighbour of the couple, Mr Darren Hudson, said he was awoken by their screams. He ran outside and tried to get into the house, but failed.
He told the jury: "I tried to get up to the bedroom window. I heard some screams and shouting `Mummy'. Black smoke was billowing out of the windows and flames." Mr Hudson said Ms McKenna was standing outside the house screaming "My baby".
The children were rescued by fireman Mr Andrew Metcalfe, who first saved Jim and then went back for Billy.
On Wednesday, Mr Paul Worsley QC, prosecuting, said the first fire was on February 1st, 1994, in a flat at South Parkway, Seacroft, Leeds.
No serious damage was caused despite the fire being started in three places, but the couple were temporarily rehoused and given a £1,000 non refundable loan and a £350 refundable loan by the Department of Social Security. It was this cash, he said, that gave them the motive to start other fires.
The next blaze was seven months later on September 26th, 1994, at their new three bedroom council house on the same road. Another fire was started the next day but no serious damage was caused in either case.
The last fire was on October 2nd. Mr Worsley said: "The consequences this time were far more serious.
"A little boy called Jim, 21 months old, died as a result. His brother Billy, who was six months old, received terrible burns. The Crown claims the two defendants, acting together, started each of these fires deliberately.
"They did so either to be rehoused or to get compensation from the council for fire damage so they could continue gambling and meeting their rising debts."
The court was told that the couple began a relationship in 1991 after meeting in Ireland from where they both came.
They moved to Leeds that December and Amanda gave birth to a son who died at the age of nine weeks from cot death. In 1992, Jim was born and the couple moved to the flat in Seacroft. But Mr Cunningham complained that the flat was cold and damp and in February, May and December, 1993, he applied to be rehoused.
The trial continues.