A woman found guilty of the atrocious deaths of her six children now walks free, once again living off the generosity of taxpayers.
The eerie and toxic bond between UK couple Mick and Mairead Philpott was like something out of a horror movie. They lived a comfortable life in a 3-bedroom flat in Derby, all paid for by the state. However, their greed knew no bounds. The pair shared their home with Mick’s mistress, Lisa Willis, and a number of their 17 children. But when Lisa took off with her children and her share of the welfare benefits, the Philpotts felt cheated.
Determined to squeeze more out of the system, Mick and Mairead concocted a wicked plan to set their house ablaze and pin the blame on Lisa. Mick intended to rescue their sleeping children after letting the fire burn a bit, hoping to emerge as a hero and be granted a new house by the city. But the scheme went catastrophically wrong.
Their six children tragically died of smoke inhalation in the fire. Even as their 13-year-old son, Duwayne, fought for his life in the hospital, Mick had to be persuaded to visit him. The couple’s odd behavior and fake tears raised eyebrows, and it wasn’t long before the police unraveled their heinous plot.
Although Mick was given a life sentence and Mairead was sentenced to 17 years, Mairead was released just eight years into her term, gleefully claiming she was “delighted.” After checking into a taxpayer-funded halfway house, she was granted a new identity and police protection.
David Spencer at the Centre for Crime Prevention spoke out on the appalling situation, stating, “It makes an absolute mockery of the UK’s criminal justice system. She has served barely more than a year for each of the six innocent lives she callously took away.”
Previously infamous for a 2007 interview in which Mick defended their life on welfare and their stint on “The Jeremy Kyle Show,” the couple now leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of taxpayers. With Mairead enjoying her freedom and protection, it’s a gut-wrenching injustice for her deceased children and a slap in the face to the public who continue to foot the bill for her life.
Sources: Taphaps, Daily Mail