fatal den fire' in Eastbourne

Brothers 'started fatal den fire' in Eastbourne

Verdicts of misadventure have been returned at an inquest into the deaths of two brothers in a fire which swept through a makeshift den at their home. Lewis Jenkins, seven, and his brother Taylor, five, are believed to have started the fire in a camp under the stairs in Milfoil Drive, Eastbourne. Coroner Alan Craze said the inquest had heard ample evidence of poor parenting but this did not amount to neglect.

It came nowhere near "unlawful killing", he told the court. The three-day inquest heard the boys' mother, Denise Goldsmith, had spilt from their father, Stewart Jenkins, who was in prison.  The fire started at 15:00 BST on 4 October 2008, and Ms Goldsmith was found to be one and half times the drink-drive limit an hour and half later.  She had been drunk hours earlier and admitted to the inquest she was not in a fit state to look after the boys.  The inquest heard that 14 disposable lighters were found at the house, along with matches and tea light candles.  An aerosol can was also found at the hideout, made with duvets, sheets and a clothes airer.

Ms Goldsmith said that Taylor in particular had an interest in fires and recalled him setting paper alight in his bedroom at the family's home. But on Thursday, John Greenwood, the head teacher at their school, said teachers had seen no evidence the boys had a "predilection for fire". The school, Shinewater Primary, referred the boys to social services in January 2008 following concerns surrounding their mother Denise Goldsmith's drinking. A social worker was allocated to them in July but three months later the boys died in the fire. A post-mortem examination found they both died from smoke inhalation. Ms Goldsmith was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and neglect of the children but it was later decided she would not face prosecution.