Fatal arson attack suspect found dead in bin, inquest told

A man suspected of carrying out an arson attack which killed an elderly couple was found dead in a wheelie bin a week later, an inquest has heard.

Paul Smith, 40, known as Smigger, is believed to have started the fire at the home of Sheila Jackson, 83, and her partner, Eric Greener, 77, in St Helens, Merseyside, last July.

The couple were rescued from the fire but died in hospital from burns and smoke inhalation.

Gerard Majella Courthouse in Liverpool heard Smith's body was discovered seven days after the attack, in a bin where it had been moved after he died in a bath, having taken a cocktail of drugs.

The hearing was told police were called on 22 July by Steven Wales, who told them a man had either drowned or overdosed in the bath at a property at Coniston Street, Everton, Liverpool, two days earlier.

Senior coroner for Liverpool Andre Rebello said: "Merseyside Police were deployed and located a male, deceased, in a wheelie bin at the rear of derelict properties on Thirlmere Road, which backs on to Coniston Street and is separated by an alleyway.

"The deceased male was identified by police as Paul Joseph Smith."

Smith, who lived on Lower Breck Road, had last spoken to his family on 19 July and was reported missing by his brother Michael on 21 July.

In a report, Home Office pathologist Dr Matthew Lyall said toxicology results showed Smith had taken heroin close to the time of his death, as well as a "relatively large amount of cocaine" and a number of sedatives.

Dr Lyall said drowning could not be proved or excluded.

He added: "Neither can it be entirely excluded that the deceased was held under water by a third party, but pathological findings cannot prove that occurred."

He recorded the cause of death as mixed drug toxicity.

The court heard that police were satisfied the death was not caused by criminality.

Rebello said it was understood there were criminal proceedings ongoing regarding the disposal of the body.

Recording the death as drug-related, the coroner said: "He died from taking illicit and and sedative drugs which caused respiratory failure."

Earlier this year Kevin Weetman, 34, Kylie Maynard, 37, and Lee Owens, 46, were jailed for the manslaughter of Greener and Jackson.

A trial at Liverpool Crown Court heard Smith had travelled with Owens to the home in South John Street just after 12:30 BST on 15 July.

The jury heard the intended victim of the fire was Jackson's son, George, who sometimes lived at the house,

Weetman was jailed for life with a minimum of 25 years for planning the attack after George, 48, refused to sell drugs for him.

Maynard, said to be the "trusted lieutenant" in Weetman's drugs line, was jailed for 23 years and Owens was sentenced to 13 years and six months.

In a joint statement issued after the sentencing hearing, the families of Jackson and Greener said the couple were "the loveliest, kindest, funniest, caring, most beautiful people to ever exist".

The families added: "They were the life and soul of the party, they were the Queen & King of our family. They were the glue that held us all together."

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