Suits filed over fire deaths of family of six

A health authority in Northern Ireland and police are being sued over a convicted sex offender killing himself and his family…

A health authority in Northern Ireland and police are being sued over a convicted sex offender killing himself and his family in a house fire.

Papers lodged at the High Court in Belfast on behalf of the victims’ relatives claim damages for alleged negligence in the supervision and monitoring of Arthur McElhill.

The papers allege that the loss sustained by the estate of each of the six deceased was due to the negligence and breach of duty of the defendants in three areas – the supervision, monitoring, care and control of Arthur McElhill(36)

He set fire to the home in Omagh, Co Tyrone, in November 2007. The blaze at Lammy Crescent claimed the lives of his partner, Lorraine McGovern (29), and their five young children.

A coroner ruled that McElhill burned the house because Ms McGovern threatened to leave him.

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