Rachel Brand KC prosecuted Andrew Gorrell, whose trial took place at Wolverhampton Crown Court in February. He was sentenced on 6th July 2026 by the Recorder of Wolverhampton HHJ Chambers KC.
In the early hours of the morning on 11th May 2025, Gorrell set fire to the wheelie bin in the front garden of a house in Holyhead Road, Wednesbury. He had moved the bin and positioned it next to the front door of the house, and the resulting blaze engulfed the house. The fire service attended and rescued four members of the Edwards family who had been asleep in the house when the fire began. John Edwards and his wife Doreen, both 82, and their sons Mark and Carl all required hospital treatment following the fire. Sadly, John Edwards did not survive, whilst his son Mark remained in hospital for several months and has been left with permanent health issues as a consequence of his injuries sustained in the fire.
At the end of the trial the jury unanimously convicted Gorrell of the murder of John Edwards and additional offences relating to the injuries sustained by other members of the Edwards family.
Gorrell, who was said to have an alcohol problem, had also set 3 smaller fires in refuse bins in Wednesbury town centre, within a few hours of the fatal fire. Those other fires were extinguished by the fire service.
Gorrell received the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment for murder, and must serve a minimum term of 25 years. Sentences for the other offences will run alongside that life sentence.
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Rachel Brand KC was instructed by CPS West Midlands.