A court has heard that a neighbor set fire to a flat, resulting in the tragic deaths of a mother and her two daughters, due to his dissatisfaction with bags of rubbish in an alleyway behind their building.
According to Nottingham Crown Court, Jamie Barrow poured petrol through the letterbox of Fatoumatta Hydara’s first-floor property in the early hours of November 20 last year. He then ignited the fire and remained at the scene as the blaze engulfed the building.
The incident took place at Fairisle Close in Clifton, Nottingham, resulting in the death of the 28-year-old mother two days later, while her three-year-old daughter Fatimah Drammeh and one-year-old daughter Naeemah Drammeh died in the fire.
The prosecution stated that the family was asleep when Barrow started the fire, and despite hearing screams from inside the flat, he casually walked away. It was revealed that Barrow had previously raised a complaint about rubbish in the alleyway to the local authority about a month before the fire, but there was no evidence to suggest that Mrs. Hydara was responsible, reported Daily Mail.
During the court proceedings, Barrow, 31, admitted to starting the fire but denied the charges of murder. Prosecutor Simon Ash KC informed the jury that Barrow faced three counts of murder for the deaths of Fatoumatta Hydara, Fatimah Drammeh, and Naeemah Drammeh.
The prosecution explained that Barrow poured petrol through the letterbox, knowing that the front door was the only exit from the flat, leaving no means of escape for the victims. As the fire took hold, a fire alarm sounded, and screams were heard.
However, Barrow did not take any action to assist them or alert the authorities. Approximately five minutes later, he calmly walked away, leaving the victims trapped in the burning flat. All three individuals lost their lives as a result of the fire.
The court learned that Barrow had passed by the property earlier, observing the lights on, as he was on his way to purchase beer, which indicated that Mrs. Hydara and her children were inside the flat at the time.
In a statement, Aboubacarr Drammeh, the father of the children, described his wife as a caring and faithful person who would help others. He also fondly remembered his children as happy individuals who enjoyed spending time with their grandparents and had a good sibling relationships.
Barrow, residing at Fairisle Close in Clifton, pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder and arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.
