Derby death blaze accused conversations played in court Published duration 28 February 2013

image caption The court was played covertly recorded conversations

Covert recordings by police of conversations between a couple accused of killing their six children in a house fire have been played in court.

Mick and Mairead Philpott were heard talking in a hotel room, which was being monitored 24 hours a day.

In one recording played to Nottingham Crown Court, Mr Philpott is heard saying "you haven't told the truth have you?", referring to the fire last May.

They and Paul Mosley deny six counts of manslaughter after the fire in Derby.

Det Con Martin Hare said recording equipment was placed in the room four days after the fire in Victory Road, Allenton, which was constantly monitored until the end of the month when the three were arrested.

'Run through flames'

The jury heard Mr Philpott say a number of times the room might be bugged and tell Mr Mosley to "shush", when they were discussing the night of the fire.

On one occasion, Mr Philpott was heard asking his wife about what she had told her work colleagues about the fire. He was heard saying: "You haven't told the truth have you?".

The court was also played a conversation discussing what the Philpotts told officers in the days after the blaze.

After she was interviewed by officers, Mr Philpott, 56, asked his 31-year-old wife: "What did you say about me trying to get in?"

Mrs Philpott was heard to answer: "You tried everything you could to get in, like I said to them, 'I wanted to run through the flames up the stairs'."

Her husband was heard to ask: "Was you crying when you said it? How bad?"

Sex act

She replied: "Not really, really bad, but I was crying."

Mr Mosley, 46, visited the couple in their room and parts of the recordings were played to jurors that prosecutors said showed sexual activity had also taken place.

On one occasion Mr Philpott referred to his wife performing a sex act on Mr Mosley, which the prosecution said was done to keep Mr Mosley on side.

Earlier on Thursday, the court had heard the three had "rehearsed" a plan six weeks previously, which included Mrs Philpott taking the blame for the fire.

Witness Melissa John, girlfriend of Mr Mosley's nephew, said she heard the plan was for Mr and Mrs Philpott to run into the road and shout for help.

She said Mr Mosley, who had outlined the plan, was to kick in the door at the house to rescue the children.

Earlier in the trial, the court heard the three had tried to frame Mr Philpott's former mistress Lisa Willis, 29, for the fire, in a row over custody of five children she shared with Mr Philpott.

Of the six children who died, Jade Philpott, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, perished in the fire. Their brother Duwayne, 13, died later in hospital.