Sarah Slater, led by Rachel Brand KC from Citadel, were instructed by the West Midlands Crown Court Unit to prosecute Andrew Gorrell for the murder of John Edwards who died following a house fire at his home address in Wednesbury in May 2025. Michael Duck KC led Matthew Cullen from St Philips for the defence instructed by Richard Ellis at Purcell Parker. The jury took less than 5 hours to find Gorrell guilty of the murder of Mr Edwards along with Causing grievous bodily harm to others inside the house and Arson with Intent to endanger life.
In the early hours of the 11th May 2025, Gorrell travelled to Wednesbury and made his way to the home of Mr Edwards and his family in Holyhead Road. He had travelled from Chester and did not know anyone in the house. He then set fire to a wheelie bin at the front of the house and moved it to block the front door. He then left the property and wandered around Wednesbury town centre for hours later, setting fire to another 3 refuge bins. The fire in the wheelie bin rapidly took hold and spread to the house, where it trapped Mr Edwards, his wife and their two sons inside. Neighbours raised the alarm and a number of fire crews and emergency services were sent to the scene. Mr Edwards and his family were rescued and taken to hospital. He sadly died later in hospital as a result of the injuries he sustained.
At trial, Gorrell pleaded guilty to manslaughter and accepted that he had set the fire but argued that he did not have an intent to kill or cause really serious harm. Following the trial though, he was convicted of murder and now awaits sentence at a later date.
‘Fire obsessed’ man guilty of pensioner’s murder – BBC News
Killer in horror film T-Shirt convicted of torching Wednesbury home in ‘random’ murder -BBC News
