THE lives of a mother and her baby were put in danger when two teenagers with learning difficulties started a blaze at their Accrington home, a jury heard.

Burnley Crown Court was told that Samina Ahmed and her eight month old daughter were inside the house on Willows Lane as flames raged at the back of the property.

They escaped after being alerted by neighbours.

The alleged fireraisers, Shaun Wilkinson, 17 and Dale Clements, 14, are said to have put a lighter to a pile of rubbish, then ran away and not told anybody.

Both now blame each other for the blaze.

Wilkinson, of Willows Lane and Clements of College Street, both Accrington, deny arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered on April 8.

The court has been told how the defendants accept they were in the back yard when the fire started, but each says they did not do it.

Two lighters were later found on Clements. When the defendant was first interviewed by police he did not answer questions on the advice of his solicitor.

Kevin Donnelly, prosecuting, told the jury the lives of Mrs Ahmed and her child were put in danger by the fire.

There was no doubt the blaze was deliberate and the Crown alleged the defendants were "in it together."

The prosecutor claimed Wilkinson and Clements were equally culpable for what happened and both had told lies in a desperate attempt to evade responsibility for what they had done.

Both knew what was happening and neither tried to stop the fire, he alleged.

Richard Bennett, defending Wilkinson, said both defendants were there when the fire started and one of them must have done it. The defendant knew Clements was going to light a fire but that did not necessarily mean he was encouraging him or wanted him to do it.

Mr Bennett continued: "He says he didn't want to do it.

"He didn't want any part in it. He didn't want Dale to do it."

The barrister added no lighter was found on Wilkinson.

For Clements, Mark Stuart said the defendant had handed a lighter to his co-defendant but believed Wilkinson wanted it for a cigarette.

Mr Stuart said the defendants, who were both of good character, had been wrong to go in somebody's back yard. One of them had obviously started the blaze.

He told the jury: "As unedifying as it may be it may well be one of those cases where you can't be sure which one started the fire."

(Proceeding)

Teenagers deny fire

attack on house