Burned his family to death

A coroner has ruled that a Corlough woman and her five children were burned to death by her sex-offender partner because she was going to leave him. Lorraine McGovern (29) died with her children Caroline (13), Sean (7), Belina (5), Clodagh (19 months) and James (nine months). Her partner and the children's father, Arthur McElhill, also died in the fire in Omagh in the early hours of November 13, 2007. Coroner Suzanne Anderson told the inquest in Omagh yesterday (Tuesday): "I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Arthur McElhill and Lorraine McGovern had been up all night and that she was about to leave, taking with her at least some of her children, when the fire was started by Arthur McElhill." Ms Anderson said this was because police had found five babies' feeding bottles packed in a bag; the couple's bed had not been slept in that night; and minutes before the fire a neighbour had heard McElhill shouting: "You can't run, you fat bitch." She said she was satisfied this meant Lorraine McGovern wished to leave and Arthur McElhill would do all he could to stop her. Ms Anderson also ruled that McElhill deliberately started the fatal fire. He poured a mixture of petrol and white spirit round the hallway and stairs of the family home, then lit it. She said this was because McElhill's life was in turmoil; he faced the loss of his relationship with Lorraine and imprisonment if his sexual relationship with a 16-year-old schoolgirl was discovered. After the verdict, the McGovern family solicitor read a statement on their behalf. They thanked the communities of Omagh, Corlough and surrounding areas for their comfort and support. "We are mindful the McElhill family also suffered deeply and we extend our sympathies to them," they said. In a written statement, the McElhill family said they had always done their best for their children: "The events of two years ago have devastated and shattered our lives beyond belief. Our pain is immeasurable and it will endure for the rest of our lives. We ask you to keep both the McGovern and McElhill families in your prayers; may all those who have died in this tragedy rest in peace." Earlier the inquest had heard how Arthur McElhill had sex with a 16-year-old schoolgirl while Lorraine McGovern was downstairs. Two days before the death Arthur McElhill exchanged 154 texts with this girl, and a second 16-year-old. Witnesses told how Arthur McElhill had regular sexual intercourse with the 16-year-old, apparently unknown to Lorraine McGovern. Arthur McElhill and had sent explicit texts to the second 16-year-old, asking her to have sex with him. He had set up a Bebo internet page in the name of his son, as 'Fun Guy Sean'. Detective Inspector Derek Scott gave evidence, firstly in regard to the finding of the bodies. Eighteen-month-old Clodagh McElhill was found under her mother and father, and Arthur McElhill's body was partly on top of Lorraine McGovern's. Seven-year-old Sean McElhill had tried to escape from his bedroom at the urging of his eldest sister Caroline; Sean's body was found at the top of the stairs, where he had succumbed to fumes. Inspector Scott then proceeded to the origins of the fire. At that time, Arthur McElhill's life was in a downward spiral. He had suffered a major financial blow through the loss of his incapacity benefit. Dark secrets from his past life had surfaced. Scott said: "His previous sexual offending had come to notice and was being talked about among people known to him." Arthur McElhill had told friends he was on the sex offenders' register only because of Lorraine McGovern's age when their relationship begun; in fact, he had never been convicted in respect of that relationship. He was on the register because of two convictions for violent sexual assault. Scott read a statement from the 16-year-old girl, who was being groomed. She had met Arthur McElhill through the girl with whom he was having a relationship. He sent her a number of explicit texts asking her to have sex with him. The last was on the day before the fire. Inspector Scott had examined the house after the fire. He found five filled babies' feeding bottles packed into a bag in a bedroom. He thought this "unusual", as such bottles are usually kept in the fridge. The second police witness was Sergeant David McFaul, the designated risk manager for sex offenders in the Omagh area. Lorraine McGovern was aware Arthur McElhill was a sex offender. "One vital part of risk management was that Lorraine McGovern was aware of Arthur's offending history," Sergeant McFaul said. On the last visit, six days before fire, "things appeared to be very normal. There was no sign of any difficulties between Arthur and Lorraine - none that I could see". Under cross-examination, Sergeant McFaul admitted he did not speak to Ms McGovern on her own. Neighbour Lee-Anne Duffy gave evidence that minutes before the fire, she was woken by a man shouting: "You can't run, you fat bitch." She got up and looked out: "I could see a man standing at a car at 4 Lammy Crescent. The car was what you'd call a Space Wagon. I got the impression he was getting something out of the car, or putting something back in it." Ms Duffy recognised the man as Arthur McElhill. This was not the first time she had seen problems between the couple: "I remember an incident about three or four years ago when Lorraine was shouting 'stop hitting me'. No one else in Lammy Crescent had rows like that." Within a couple of minutes of her seeing the man at the car, the house was consumed by an "unbelievable" blaze. A woman neighbour was kneeling on the pavement crying: "The weans are in there." A court official then read the statement of Sharon Coyle, one of Lorraine McGovern's close friends. Lorraine McGovern was very chatty, but dominated; "It was like Lorraine worshipped Arthur. She went on about Arthur like it would do your head in. Every decision was made by Arthur, and Lorraine had no say in things." Coyle said Lorraine McGovern had only put her partner down once; "She said he had tried to hang himself in the shed and Caroline (the eldest child) found him." She was aware things were not well: "I knew Lorraine was from Cavan and got pregnant when she was young, and her parents weren't happy about that." After the summer holidays in 2007, Lorraine McGovern had become quieter. The family also had money problems. The media was excluded for the evidence of the girl with whom Arthur McElhill had the relationship, who was referred to as Witness A. One reporter was allowed to attend, and briefed the rest of the media. Witness A had got to know the family and baby sat the children. In August "Arthur called me upstairs; Lorraine was downstairs on the computer. Arthur locked the door and closed the curtains and we had sex. After we finished he pulled the curtains and unlocked the door." On a number of subsequent occasions they had sex upstairs when Lorraine McGovern was downstairs, apparently unaware. The last occasion was about three weeks before fire. Arthur McElhill had been drinking heavily since the summer. The couple were not getting on: "They used to row a lot about simple things, about dishes not being washed or homework not being done." In September Lorraine McGovern had a black eye. Caroline McGovern had told Witness A she was sick and tired of her parents rowing and fighting. During the inquest, the McGovern and McElhill families sat separately and there was no contact between them.