‘Cigarette unlikely to blame’

Jan 30 2008 by Lisa Jones, South Wales Echo

A STRAY cigarette was unlikely to have caused the fire in the bedroom in which Beverley Parkhouse’s body was discovered, a court has heard.

The care home worker, 45, was found dead in bed at her father’s home in Ogmore Vale, near Bridgend, in September 2006.

It was initially thought she had been smoking and the cigarette had set light to her bedclothes.

But police later believed her lover, Roystan Moore, 52, had suffocated her after she smuggled him into her father’s home.

He is then said to have set light to the room in order to cover his tracks.

Cardiff Crown Court heard from forensic scientist, Robert Farmer.

He said the fire started from the bottom right hand corner of the bed and Mrs Parkhouse’s body appeared to be undamaged by fire.

But it burned itself out because the bedroom door had been closed.

There were no signs of cigarettes, lighters or matches in the room nor signs the fire was caused by faulty electrics, Mr Farmer told the court.

In an earlier hearing, the court heard a post-mortem examination proved Mrs Parkhouse did not die as a result of smoke inhalation.

The scientist tested the quilt in which Mrs Parkhouse was wrapped and found it didn’t catch fire when a cigarette was dropped on it.

Mr Farmer added: “It was possible the bedding could have been ignited by a naked flame. It’s more likely that the fire was ignited by a naked flame than a cigarette.”

Moore, of Nantymoel Row, Ogmore Vale, denies killing Mrs Parkhouse, of Oakfield Terrace, Nantymoel.

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