Door trapped fire death brothers

Mrs and Mr Miller are accused of child neglect

Two young brothers who were trapped in their bedroom when a fire started could not escape because the door handle had been altered, a jury has heard.

Nathan Miller, aged two-and-a-half and brother Jeremy, 18 months, died after the fire at their Northampton home in June 2004.

Parents Lindsey, 33, and Scott Miller, 29, deny charges of child cruelty.

The prosecution said the boys could not escape because Mrs Miller had altered the bedroom door handle.

Lock altered

The court heard that Nathan, described as a "handful", started the fire in the house on the Briar estate by striking matches in the bedroom.

Eleven struck matches were found near a travel cot in the corner of the room.

The jury heard the toddlers could not escape because Lindsey Miller had altered the bedroom door lock so the handle had to be lifted for the door to be opened.

Prosecution counsel, William Coker QC, said the boys' screams were ignored and only when a smoke alarm went off did their parents go upstairs but were beaten back by the flames.

The trapped boys were rescued from an upstairs bedroom by neighbours, but died at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

'Low intelligence'

Jeremy died in hospital 12 days after the blaze while Nathan died in the intensive care unit 13 weeks after being rescued.

Mr Coker told the court: "Fatal burns were caused by their [the parents']criminal failure to look after them and protect them from harm. On the night in question, we say they were actually placed in harm's way."

He told the jury the couple were of very low intelligence and Mr Miller had a drink problem.

The couple deny two charges of child cruelty by wilfully mistreating or neglecting the boys by allowing Nathan to have matches and by putting Jeremy at risk by leaving him with his older brother.

The case continues.