Fatal fire-starter 'knew what he was doing'

The trial of a man who started a fatal fire has been told the arsonist "knew what he was doing".

The barrister representing Andrew Gorrell, 54, from Saltney in Flintshire, had told Wolverhampton Crown Court his client was extremely drunk when he started the fire in Wednesbury, West Midlands, last May.

But prosecution counsel Rachel Brand KC told jurors Gorrell was capable of thinking through the consequences of his actions when he pushed a burning wheelie bin in front of a door.

The resulting house fire caused the death of 82-year-old John Edwards who died from his injuries in hospital. Gorrell has admitted a charge of manslaughter, but denies murder.

Michael Duck KC, who represents Gorrell, said this was because his client acknowledged that he was responsible for ending the life of Mr Edwards, but that he did not mean to kill him.

Duck told the court Gorrell had no links to the Edwards family and had travelled from Wales to Wednesbury on the evening of the fire.

He argued Gorrell's actions had the hallmarks of "chaotic behaviour" by someone who was extremely drunk.

Gorrell has exercised his right not to give evidence in his defence and Brand said that had left jurors with "no words at all" to explain his actions.

She said that while it could be suggested Gorrell was affected by alcohol, the evidence showed him to be walking around without falling over.

"In short, we say that the evidence shows that at the time he set the fire he was capable of coherent speech, he knew what he was doing and he was capable of thinking through the consequences of his actions," Brand said.

In her closing speech, she said his crimes amounted to murder, not the lesser offence of manslaughter.

"We say that when he set the fire in a wheelie bin and moved it towards the front door, perhaps he didn't intend to kill anyone, but he certainly intended that anyone inside would sustain a really serious physical injury."

Edwards' wife Doreen Edwards, who was 81 at the time of the fire, and their sons Carl, 60, and Mark, 57, were all taken to hospital.

Gorrell denies causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Doreen and Mark Edwards and attempting to causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Carl Edwards.

He denies arson with intent to endanger life but has admitted an alternative charge of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

The trial continues.

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