A court heard that two people died and four other were rescued from the bottom floor of an unoccupied house after becoming trapped there for drug-fuelled sex parties.
Jurors heard that two mothers-of-three aged 31 and 24 died of smoke inhalation. The second victim, a woman who was a pregnant mother-of-three at the time, had to be admitted into intensive care. Two mattresses and a chair were deliberately set on fire by Huddersfield residents in March.
Craig Collier (35), is being charged with murdering Samantha Mills, and Reece Schofield, Leeds Crown Court heard. They both died in days following the horrific fire.
He was also accused of four counts each of attempted murder and arson with intent endanger lives. Collier denied all of these charges.
According to the court, the Clare Hill property was not occupied at that time. However, it had been previously used as a place for homeless people who were allegedly ‘drug-taking and drinking’.
Reece Schofield, 24, and Samantha Mills, 31, (right) died from smoke inhalation after two mattresses and a chair were set on fire ‘deliberately’ at a house in Huddersfield, West Yorks., in March
Peter Moulson, QC the Prosecutor opened the case. He told jurors six individuals visited the home on March 23, and they engaged in drug taking and consensual intimacy activity when they were trapped at the top.
While three of those partygoers were able to flee through the rooflight, Mr Schofield and Ms Mills weren’t able to.
A second woman was saved by firefighters, and she was taken to intensive care. She later made a full recovery.
Mr Moulson stated that all the problems arise from what the crown claims was the intentional lighting of a Clare Hill home in Huddersfield. This defendant submitted the following: “We submit this defendant’s statement on March 23, 2021.
He said that 17 Clare Hill had been ‘generally occupied, but was regularly used by homeless people and other individuals ‘apparently involved with drinking and drug use’.
Mr Moulson said that nearby Cambridge Hotel is available for those who need accommodation. It was here that Collier also lived.
Six people, all of them women, were seen on the second floor engaging in consensual and drug-taking activities at 5.30am March 23rd.
Mr Moulson stated that it was the prosecution’s claim that there were three separate fires set in the building by Craig Collier, the seventh person present at the time.
After the light had gone out, he said that Collier wasn’t involved in any drug-taking or sex activities and that he returned to his Cambridge Hotel room.
According to Mr Moulson, “A mattress that we claim was set on fire” by the defendant.
We believe that he later moved to the lower floor of the ground floor and lit another mattress in the room.
“Then, while he was still on the floor, he placed a chair under the front door. He then set it ablaze before going to his Cambridge Hotel room.
He said, “As a consequence of those fires in those positions below that six other were, they had only one option: to try to escape via a skylight and attic window.”
After a house fire broke out in Huddersfield (West Yorkshire), on March 23rd 2021, two people were killed and four others sustained injuries.
Craig Collier is innocent of two murder charges, four attempted murder charges, and one arson charge with intent to endanger lives.
The fire department responded and only three people including Ms Mills, Mr Schofield, and another lady, were able to make it up the temporary safety of the roof.
Jurors were told by Mr Moulson that all of them had been saved alive in the attic room because of the courage of the firefighters.
Reece Schofield and Samantha Mills, despite all the efforts made by those who were involved in their rescue, eventually died on the 26th and 29 March, respectively.
Inhalation of product of combustion products was each person’s cause of death.
“The third rescuer was taken to intensive care, and she eventually recovered from the burns.
Moulson stated that three more people were able to escape injury.
Collier denies murder and four counts of attempted murder. He also faces one count each of arson with intent endangerment of life, two counts of murder, and one count perverting the course or justice.
Continue the trial.