Woman jailed over arson attack which killed four children lodges appeal against conviction and sentence
A woman who was jailed after helping arsonists set fire to a family home - killing four children - has begun an appeal against her conviction and sentence.
20 year old Courtney Brierley was jailed for manslaughter earlier this year for helping two men, her then-boyfriend Zak Bolland and his accomplice, David Worrall, carry out the petrol bomb attack on a family home in Walkden.
15 year old Demi Pearson, eight year old Brandon, seven year old Lacie, and three-year-old Lia all died.
Brierley had claimed she acted because she was in fear of her violent and abusive boyfriend Bolland and had not realised exactly what he was about to do.
Following a trial at Manchester Crown Court , the jury found her not guilty of murder but convicted her of four counts of manslaughter.
She was sentenced to 21 years in a young offenders’ institution and can apply for parole halfway through her sentence.
The attack was the climax to a feud involving Bolland and Kyle Pearson - older brother to the four victims of the fire.
Bolland is serving a life sentence and has not lodged an appeal.
Neither has accomplice David Worrall.
The children's mother Michelle was rescued from the house fire but was seriously injured.
She has been in hospital ever since, and was too badly hurt to attend her children's joint funeral.
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