Third person charged with murder after four children die in Salford house fire

A fourth person has been charged in connection to the murder of four children at a house fire in Salford.

David Worrall, 25, is due to appear in court accused of four counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and one count of arson with intent to endanger life following the blaze at a house on Jackson Street in Worsley.

Siblings Demi Pearson, 14, Brandon, eight, and seven-year-old Lacie were all declared dead at the scene of the blaze on 11 December, with their three-year-old sister Lia later dying from her injuries on 13 December.

Their 35-year-old mother, Michelle Pearson, was rescued from the fire. She is still heavily sedated after suffering serious injuries and is unaware that four of her children are dead.

Another member of the Pearson family, a 16-year-old boy, and his friend managed to escape form the fire by themselves before emergency services arrived at the scene.

Two people have already appeared in court charged with murder in connection with the suspected arson attack.

Zac Bolland, 23, of Blackleach Drive, Worsley, and Courtney Brierley, 20, of Worsley Avenue, Worsley, are also accused of accused of arson with intent to endanger life and four counts of attempted murder.

They are due to make another appearance at Salford Magistrates' Court to face the charges.

Greater Manchester Police have referred themselves to the Independent Police Complaints Commission after it was revealed officers had been called to the house following an incident around 2am, three hours before the fire service were alerted to the blaze.

GMP's Territorial Commander for Salford, Chief Superintendent Wayne Miller, said: "I cannot imagine what their family are going through, they are obviously completely devastated, the loss of a child in any circumstances is unthinkable; to lose three in such deplorable circumstances, words cannot describe.

"My heart breaks for them, it really does. Our specially trained family liaison officers are supporting the family and we are doing all that we can to get them the answers they quite rightly deserve."