Judge Sends Jury Away To Consider Verdicts in Demesne Road Fire Case

Jury Sent Away To Consider Verdict in Trial of Simon Paul Leece

The Judge is currently summing up all of the evidence heard in the Simon Paul Leece case before sending the jury away to consider their verdicts.

Leece has been accused of starting a series of fires last March, with one on Demesne Road claiming the life of 61-year-old builder Terry Losh.

The Prosecution have alleged that all of the fires started within a 150-yard radius of the Leece’s home.

The court were shown CCTV footage of Leece walking around nearby streets to the fires, in some cases crouching behind cars - when asked in court he said he couldn't remember why he was doing this. In the footage he was also seen carrying a bag, just moments before the fires were started.

Through the CCTV they were able to establish a timeline which saw Leece leave his flat at 3.43AM, and return home at 4.12AM. In the meantime Losh died at 04.06AM.

The jury heard from his defence that there is proof he didn’t start one of the fires on Bucks Road, as he was still at home at the time witnesses say it began, they also have impressed on the 7 woman and 5 man jury that Leece is a man of good character with no previous convictions.

The jury will have to return with a unanimous decision for the verdict to be handed down.