Evil Mick Philpott 'flirted with women in the mortuary' as he prepared to identify the bodies of five of his children he killed by setting fire to their family home

Mick Philpott was identifying five of his children's bodies when he flirted with staff

A father who started a blaze that killed six of his children flirted with mortuary staff as he prepared to identify their bodies. 

Mick Philpott was identifying five of his children's bodies when he flirted and made sexual comments about staff.    

Retired detective superintendent Paul Callum, who helped to lead investigations into the fire in Osmaston, Derby, said he 'chatted up the mortuary technicians'.  

He said that Philpott would then 'collapse into a pile and pretend he was upset' before saying 'something inappropriate' according to the Star on Sunday.    

Mr Callum also said that at the mortuary Philpott 'called his children "little s**ts"'.

His behaviour left detectives convinced the father of 17 was responsible for the fire that took place in May 2012.  

Philpott's six children - Duwayne, 13, Jade, 10, John, nine, Jack, seven, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five - died from smoke inhalation as a result of the blaze

Philpott was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum 15-year term, his wife Mairead was also convicted (pictured together) 

Duwayne, 13, Jade, 10, John, nine, Jack, seven, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, died from smoke inhalation as a result of the blaze. 

Forensics expert Rebecca Jewell spent hours going through evidence and found traces of petrol additives on the clothes Philpott had worn on the night.  

A year later, he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum 15-year term.

The couple and their friend Paul Mosley burnt down the family's three-bedroom council house in Osmaston, Derby, in 2012 in a bid to get a bigger home

His wife Mairead and friend Paul Mosley were also convicted after they burnt down the family's three-bedroom council house in a bid to get a bigger home.   

However, Mairead is set to be released from prison next month after serving just half of her 17-year jail term. 

The 38-year-old is 'delighted' at being given her earliest possible release date.

The Philpott's devious plan to frame an ex for killing their kids

The Philpotts married in 2003 and shared a cramped three-bedroom council house in Derby with his lover Lisa Willis and their children.

Philpott led his wife and accomplice Mosley into a scheme to get a bigger council house by burning down his home and framing Ms Willis for the crime after she walked out on him.

He also hoped to win back custody of his five children who had recently moved out of the home.

His intention was to rescue the sleeping children through an upstairs window but the plan went disastrously wrong after too much petrol was used and the fire burned out of control.

The blaze claimed the lives of Duwayne, 13, Jade, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six and Jayden, five.

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 even appeared at a press conference appealing for information.

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'.

They were charged by police on May 30 in connection with the deaths and Mosley was arrested in the months afterwards, having told a friend the plan had been for him to rescue the children.

Police initially charged the trio with murder but downgraded this to manslaughter because while their actions were sickeningly reckless, the defendants had not intended to kill the six.

However, he was found guilty of the horrific crime at a trial in April and sentenced to life behind bars.

The judge described the plot as 'a wicked and dangerous plan' that was 'outside the comprehension of any right-thinking person'.