Brother jailed for family blaze deaths
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A teenager who set fire to his family home, killing his two young sisters, has been jailed for life.
A jury at Newcastle Crown Court found Shane Spence, 18, guilty of the manslaughter of Tatum Leah, 14 and Demi Jade, 12.
Sentencing, Mr Justice Simon passed an indeterminate sentence for the protection of the public. He ordered Spence serve at least six years behind bars before he be considered for parole.
He poured petrol on to the living room sofa then set it alight as the family slept at their three-bedroom house in Lisle Road, South Shields, South Tyneside, in April last year.
In February, the jury found Spence guilty of manslaughter and arson, but not guilty of the attempted murder of his parents Anita and John, both 37.
The father-of-one, who was not living at the family home at the time, crept in at around 12.45am on April 4, after telling a friend he had gone to pick up a CD.
The teenager, who was 17 at the time, then doused the living room sofa in petrol and set it alight before returning to the friend's house to continue watching the film 28 Days Later. The fire tore through the house in minutes.
Spence's father John Spence, 37, sustained 42 per cent burns trying to rescue his children, but Demi Jade and Tatum Leah both died in their bedrooms of smoke inhalation and burns.
The court was told that Spence had set the family's garden shed alight when he was 12. He also had three previous criminal convictions.
Prosecuting, Alistair MacDonald QC said Spence's life was 'in a state of turmoil' at the time of the fire.
He had attempted suicide a few days earlier, after an argument in which he pushed his girlfriend, the mother of his child. He had also recently given up his job, which Mr MacDonald said was much to his father's 'disgust'.
The teenager, who the court heard was of low intelligence and was dyslexic, was expressionless as he was led from the dock.
His father, a former doorman, is convinced of his innocence. He said his son had been 'set up' and has offered £25,000 for information that will lead to the conviction of the person he believes is responsible for the deaths of his two 'babies'.
He was too upset to speak after the sentence.
Mr Justice Simon said: 'In my opinion, these crimes and the circumstances in which they were committed show clearly that you present a considerable risk of serious injury to the public.
'I am not satisfied that life imprisonment is appropriate, but I am clear that it is appropriate to pass an indeterminate sentence for the protection of the public.'
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