Derby death blaze: Mairead Philpott 'wrote eight suicide notes'

Mairead Philpott said in one note she could not "go on any more"

A woman accused of starting a fire which killed six children wrote suicide notes before the fire, a jury heard.

Nottingham Crown Court heard Mairead Philpott, 31, left eight handwritten notes in cupboards and drawers around the family home in Derby.

The court was also told the content of 84 text messages sent and received by 56-year-old Mick Philpott in the days before the fire could not be recovered.

The pair and friend Paul Mosley, 46, deny six counts of manslaughter.

'Can't go on'

On the final day of the prosecution case the jury was read eight suicide notes written by Mairead Philpott after her husband's former mistress Lisa Willis walked out with her five children.

One of them to her husband read: "I just can't go on any more... I know you love me, but you love Lisa more... the best thing I can do is go... you and Lisa can take care of the children."

The three defendants are accused of starting the fire in a bid to frame Ms Willis, 29, who was involved in a custody battle of five children she shared with Mr Philpott.

Giving evidence police analyst Joe Tilbury told how content from Mick Philpott's phone between 1 May and the day of the fire on 11 May could not be recovered by specialists.

The court also heard the youngest of the children, five-year-old Jayden, was wearing his school uniform the night he died.

The others were wearing underwear and pyjamas.

Jade Philpott, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, perished in the fire at their house in Victory Road, in Allenton last May.

Their brother Duwayne, 13, died two days later at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

The trial continues on Wednesday when Mr Philpott will give evidence.