An arsonist who killed six of his own children in a plot to look like a hero is making a bid for his freedom.
Arsonist Mick Philpott, who was sentenced to life in prison, is preparing to apply for parole β which he will be eligible for next May, according to reports.
Philpott and his wife Mairead set fire to his house with his six youngsters sleeping inside. He intended to rescue the children through an upstairs window and blame his mistress Lisa Willis for the fire, with whom he was in a custody battle.
But the plan went disastrously wrong after too muchΒ petrolΒ was used and the fire burned out of control, killing the children.
The blaze claimed the lives of Duwayne, 13, Jade, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six and Jayden, five.
A source told The Sun that the father of 17 had been ’emboldened’ by coverage of Labour’s now paused plan to release inmates early β despite the plans not applying to him.
He had also told friends that he thought he had been ‘rehabilitated’ in the 14 years he had spent in prison.
Philpott was said to be sex-obsessed and boasted about his benefits-funded lifestyle, which police revealed brought him an income of Β£60,000 a year.
Arsonist Mick Philpott, who was sentenced to life in prison, is preparing to apply for parole β which he will be eligible for next May (Pictured with wife Mairead)
Philpott pictured with his six children, who all died in the fatal blaze in May 2012
Philpott was sentenced to life and remains at HMP Wakefield, West Yorkshire
He even appeared on the Jeremy Kyle show where he defended getting both his wife and mistress pregnant at the same time.
Philpott, who had previously been jailed for stabbing his schoolgirl lover 27 times, wove a web of lies trying to get away with the crime and even plotted to ‘get rich quick’ off generous donations from the local community meant to pay for the funerals of his children.
In the days that followed the fire, Philpott began his elaborate ruse to appear blameless and evenΒ appeared at a press conference appealing for information.
He and Mairead shed tears for the cameras as they spoke about their children.
During a fortnight of surveillance at the hotel where they were put up by police in May after the fire, the couple were heard whispering about the case, with Philpott recorded telling his wife to ‘stick to your story’.
The judge described the plot as ‘a wicked and dangerous plan’ that was ‘outside the comprehension of any right-thinking person’.
Philpott remains at HMPΒ Wakefield, West Yorkshire, after he wasΒ sentenced to life in prison for manslaughter.
While PhilpottΒ will be eligible for parole next year,Β he will need to appear before the Parole Board, which will then assess whether he still poses a risk to the public.
