Boy in court over pensioner deaths

Teenager faces manslaughter charges over OAPs' fire deaths
12 April 2012

A 15-year-old boy has been remanded into secure local authority care charged with the manslaughter of an elderly couple who died after a blaze at their home.

The teenager, who is also charged with four counts of arson, spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth during an hour-long hearing at Nuneaton Justice Centre in Warwickshire.

Magistrates ordered the boy, who is accused of killing Kath and Albert Adams in Rugby, to appear at Warwick Crown Court on March 15 for a preliminary hearing.

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested last Tuesday, a day after the second of two separate fires which broke out at sheltered accommodation in Harold Cox Place, Rugby.

Mr and Mrs Adams, both 77, died in hospital after suffering smoke inhalation in the initial blaze, which broke out in the early hours of Saturday February 27.

The 15-year-old, who is from Rugby, is formally charged with two counts of manslaughter, two of arson with intent to endanger life, and two of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

His parents and grandfather were present at the hearing, sitting directly in front of the dock and in the well of the court.

In a statement issued earlier this week, the family of Mr and Mrs Adams paid tribute to them as the rock which united their extended family.

The statement, issued by Warwickshire Police, read: "Kath and Albert were a lot of things to a lot of people - parents, grandparents, brother, sister, friends.

"Their tragic deaths have left a massive hole in our lives - that pain will never truly fade."

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