MAN JAILED FOR LIFE FOLLOWING FATAL HOUSE FIRE IN GORTON

A son has been jailed for life for the murder of his mother following a fire at their home in Manchester last year.

Mark See, 34, started the fire in the living room on 13 July and fled the address on Darras Road, Gorton, in his works van minutes after the blaze broke out but was traced 16 hours later in a church yard on Sunbank Lane, near Manchester Airport, with burns to his hands and feet.

Investigators from Greater Manchester Police Major Incident Support Unit found that See had consumed a large amount of alcohol during the evening and became drunk and abusive towards his mother, Sandra See, 63, and fiancee who was eight weeks pregnant at the time.

He then momentarily went into the rear of the property and returned with a six pint milk bottle that contained petrol for their lawnmower setting the premises alight.

See then fled making no attempt to contact emergency services.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue arrived on scene shortly after 2.30am but sadly Ms See was discovered deceased and was so badly burnt that she had to be identified by a metal plate inserted in her leg.

Today (25 February 2022), See was jailed to life imprisonment with a minimum of 21 years at Manchester Crown Court after being found guilty of murder.

Senior Investigating Officer, Phil Reade, from GMP's Major Incident Support Unit, said:

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"This was a truly devastating case where See's remorseless actions cost his mother's life.

"Our thoughts are with Ms See's family who are still coming to terms with what happened. Throughout the trial they have sat with dignity whilst listening to the evidence of how their mother met her horrific death before the jury returned a guilty verdict.

"Sandra was murdered in her own home by her son who callously doused her in petrol, setting her alight and then fled from the scene as fast as he could but was tracked down by police and arrested. Throughout the trial he lacked the courage to face up to his actions causing further pain and distress to his family, but I hope today's sentencing brings them some comfort and justice for the death of their beloved mother."