Easington Lane fire: Man given life for blaze death

Declan Lancaster admitted manslaughter and arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered

An arsonist has been jailed for life for killing a man in a blaze.

Patryk Mortimer, 39, died in the fire at Manor House Hostel in Easington Lane on 3 November 2018 after accelerant was poured in a hallway.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that Declan Lancaster started the fire, then later told prison staff he "could not live with his conscience".

Lancaster, 24, of no fixed abode, admitted manslaughter and was jailed for a minimum of five years.

He also pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to endangering life.

Patryk Mortimer was killed by a fire at a former care home

Northumbria Police said that before the fire Lancaster had been with friends in the building, a former old people's care home before it was closed down and became a hostel.

After socialising, Lancaster decided to pour accelerant in the hallway and start the fire.

All other residents managed to get out but Mr Mortimer was found dead outside his room.

'Dark secret'

Northumbria Police said that in 2020, while Lancaster was on remand for an unrelated offence, he confessed to prison staff and later police that he killed Mr Mortimer and "could not live with it on his conscience any longer".

Det Sgt Steven Brown, of Northumbria Police, said: "Declan Lancaster cruelly took away Patryk's future - and his actions could so easily could have led to the deaths of many others inside the Manor House that night.

"As Patryk's family and friends desperately sought answers, for nearly two years Lancaster concealed his dark secret and deprived them of any kind of closure.

"He knowingly and willingly started that fire and the final insult came as he repeatedly tried to convince police that he was Patryk's best friend and played no part in his death."

Pictures released by police show the scale of fire damage

Declan Lancaster started the fire at the former Manor House Care Home in Easington Lane