The case of Mick and Mairead Philpott shocked the UK and brought to light the darker side of welfare dependency.
For many years, Mick and Mairead Philpott had a strange and terrible relationship. The British couple lived comfortably on welfare benefits, including a three-bedroom house in Derby that was funded by public dollars. Nevertheless, the couple found that their apartment was not suitable without rent.
Lisa Willis, the mother of some of Mick’s 17 children and his lover, lived with him and Mairead in their townhouse. But when Lisa left the house with her children and a share of welfare benefits, the couple was determined to live an even better life at the taxpayers’ expense. It was clear that the more than $80,000 they earned each year from their six children was insufficient.
Mick, angry that his ex-partner had taken away some of his rights, conspired with Mairead to set fire to the house and blame Lisa. Rumor has it that Mick was going to let the house burn down before rescuing their sleeping children; as a result, the town bought him a new home and he gained notoriety as a hero. Unfortunately, nothing went as expected.
Mick and Miread’s children died of smoke inhalation when the flat burned. Jade, 10, John, 9, Jack, 7, Jesse, 6, and Jayden, 5, died in the fire. However, 13-year-old Duwayne died in the hospital after being persuaded by Mick to visit his sick son. The couple claimed their house was set on fire by an unidentified assailant, but their unusual behavior and crocodile tears raised suspicion.
While Mick and Mairead cried in front of the media during the day, they partied in a nearby pub at night. Even as his child struggled to survive the horrific wounds he inflicted, Mick cracked jokes. Naturally, investigators targeted them and learned of their deadly plan to endanger their children and defraud the welfare system.
For her part in killing her children, Mairead was sentenced to 17 years in prison, while Mick was given life with a minimum of 50 years. On the other hand, she wouldn’t be imprisoned for very long. After just eight years on her sentence, Mairead said she was “excited” to be released at the earliest possible date.
With a 7 pm to 7 am curfew, Mairead checked into a halfway house where she lived for three months. Her stay at the hostel, which cost thousands of dollars, was paid for by taxpayers. In addition, she received a new identity card and police protection.
Parents were in the spotlight before their children’s horrific deaths. In an interview he gave in 2007, Mick vehemently defended his need for help from Mairead and his 18 children, telling anyone who disagreed to “go f—”. The couple also took part in a fascinating tabloid talk show called ‘The Jeremy Kyle Show’ which chronicled the couple’s tumultuous relationship. Mick had already been found guilty of stabbing a previous lover 27 times.
Mick should live out the rest of his days in prison, we can only hope. It is already too late for Mairead, who is already protected by the government and receiving financial help from the common people.
After serving less than half of her sentence, Mairead was allowed to leave. That’s the equivalent of less than a year in prison for each of her children. Her dismissal not only offends her deceased children and the taxpayers who continue to support her pointless existence.
The case of Mick and Mairead Philpott was a tragedy on many levels, resulting in the deaths of innocent children and exposing the darker side of welfare dependency. She also stressed the need for the government to address these issues and ensure that support is provided to those who need it while preventing abuse of the system.