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Jury Deliberates in Wednesbury House Fire Case as Defendant Denies Murder

The central dispute is whether the wheelie-bin blaze showed intent to cause really serious injury or the chaotic conduct of a man extremely drunk.

Overview

  • Jurors at Wolverhampton Crown Court retired on Wednesday to consider verdicts, with the judge instructing them to aim for unanimity and take whatever time they require.
  • Andrew Gorrell, 54, has admitted manslaughter and an alternative arson count reckless as to whether life was endangered, but he denies murder and grievous bodily harm with intent charges.
  • Prosecutors say a wheelie bin was set alight and moved to block the front door of the Edwards family home in Holyhead Road, causing a blaze that later led to John Edwards, 82, dying in hospital.
  • Doreen Edwards, 81 at the time, and sons Carl, 60, and Mark, 57, were injured in the fire but survived, according to evidence heard by the court.
  • Gorrell, from Saltney in Flintshire, had no known link to the family, was seen on CCTV traveling via Wolverhampton Central before 1am, wore a Nightmare on Elm Street T‑shirt, and chose not to give evidence.