Arsonists guilty of murdering mother in same attack four children died

Two men have been convicted of murdering a mother who died 20 months after an arson attack that killed four of her children.

A jury convicted Zak Bolland, 26, and David Worrall, 28, of the murder of Michelle Pearson, 37, on Tuesday following a three-week trial at Manchester Crown Court.

Bolland and Worrall had previously been found guilty of murdering of Ms Pearson’s four children, aged between three and 15, following a trial in 2018. They were both serving four life sentences, with Bolland given a minimum of 40 years and Worrall a minimum of 37.

The pair claimed they had been wrongfully convicted and denied murdering Ms Pearson.

The two men had been engaged in a petty feud with Ms Pearson’s oldest son, 16-year-old Kyle Pearson, and the fatal arson attack was part of a series of retaliations between the pair and the teenager.

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Bolland and Worrall threw two lit petrol bombs thrown into Ms Pearson’s house in Walkden, Greater Manchester, in the early hours of 11 December, 2017.

One of the missiles landed near the stairs, blocking the only exit to the ground floor and trapping the victims upstairs as flames engulfed the three bedroom home.

Demi Pearson, 15, her brother, Brandon, eight and sister, Lacie, seven, sleeping in a front bedroom, all died in the blaze. Ms Pearson was rescued along with her youngest daughter, Lia, three, who died in hospital two days later.

Sixteen-year-old Kyle managed to escape through a window with a friend.

The court heard how the mother “clung on to life” for 20 months after suffering 68 per cent burns to her body. The 37-year-old died on 25 August 2019.

At the time of the trial, Bolland claimed he had not intended to kill anyone, just “cause damage to the property”.

Detective Chief Inspector Cheryl Chatterton, from Greater Manchester Police’s Major Investigation Team, said: “This was a heartbreaking case and I’m glad that Bolland and Worrall have now faced justice for the devastating death of Michelle too – 20 months on.

“Bolland and Worrall planned this attack and threw their handmade petrol bombs inside. The fire spread so quickly and the heat was so intense that the smoke alarms melted before they even had a chance to sound.

“Nothing can bring Michelle and the children back, but I hope they can now be given time to grieve and come to terms with what has happened.”

She said her thoughts were with the family who have had to listen to the details of what was “a horrific and planned attack”.

The first trial also convicted Bolland’s girlfriend at the time, Courtney Brierley, 23, for manslaughter for helping to make the petrol bombs and driving with them to the attack. She was jailed for 21 years.

She admitted the manslaughter of Ms Pearson. All three will be sentenced on April 21.