Pair charged with murder over deaths of three children in Salford fire

Two people have been charged with murder over the deaths of three children in a house fire in Salford, Greater Manchester.

Zac Bolland, 23, of Blackleach Drive, Worsley, has been charged with three counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder and one count of arson with intent to endanger life.

Courtney Brierley, 20, of Worsley Avenue, Worsley has also been charged with the same offences.

They appeared at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, both wearing grey tracksuits, and spoke to confirm their names and ages.

The case was referred up to the city's Crown Court for a hearing on Thursday.

The fire at a house in Jackson Street, Worsley, trapped seven members of a family inside when it started early on Monday morning.

Demi Pearson, 14, Brandon Pearson, 8, and Lacie Pearson, 7, all died.

The children's mother, Michelle Pearson, 35, is in a serious condition in hospital and a three-year-old girl who was in the house is also critically ill.

Ms Pearson is understood to be heavily sedated and does not yet know her children have died.

Two teenagers managed to escape.

Sources have told the Press Association that the family had been living under threat, and security measures, including a device on their letterbox, were in place.

Known as target hardening, such arrangements are usually used to protect a building in case of an attack.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed there had been "earlier incidents" at the property and that the force had referred itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

It is understood that the referral is because the police had contact with the family less than 24 hours before the fire.