Death blaze accused 'said someone's done this'

A survivor of a blaze which killed two young jockeys told a jury yesterday that the man accused of starting the fire was pacing up and down before firefighters arrived, saying "Someone's done this".

Chef Christopher Crosby described how he escaped from the flames in a block of flats in Norton, near Malton, North Yorkshire, in the early hours of September 5 last year by jumping from a window.

Leeds Crown Court has heard the fire claimed the lives of apprentice jockeys Jamie Kyne, 18, from Kiltrogue, Co Galway, Ireland, and Jan Wilson, 19, from Forfar, Scotland.

Today, Mr Crosby told the jury he and his girlfriend went to the front of the block after both jumped to safety and he found a number of people had gathered, including Peter Brown, who is accused of starting the fire.

He said: "He (Brown) was pacing up and down. He looked angry and drunk as well."

Mr Crosby said Brown was talking to himself and, asked what he was saying, he said: "I remember him saying 'Someone's done this'."

He told the jury Brown probably said this twice and added: "It was as if he was trying to pin the blame to someone."

Earlier, Mr Crosby described how he and his girlfriend, Leonie Lenaghan, were woken by fire alarms before they escaped.

He said he encouraged jockey Ian Brennan to jump after he was spotted hanging from a window on the top floor.

Mr Crosby described how he broke Mr Brennan's fall as he jumped from the flat he had been in with Mr Kyne and Mr Wilson when the fire broke out.

Brown, of School Croft, Brotherton, North Yorkshire, denies two charges of murder, two charges of manslaughter and one of arson with intent to endanger life.