THE man accused of starting a fire which killed two promising young jockeys in a block of flats has been found guilty of manslaughter.

The families of the two teenage victims gasped, cried and hugged each other as the jury gave its verdict on Peter William Brown, following two and a half days deliberation and a four week trial.

Jamie Kyne, 18, and Jan Wilson, 19, died when Brown set fire to Buckrose Court in Norton in the early hours of September 5 last year.

He had been refused entry to a private party taking place at Flat no 4.

A jury sat Leeds Crown Court unanimously found Brown guilty of two counts of manslaughter but cleared him of two counts of murder and one count of arson with intent. He had denied all the allegations.

Speaking outside the courthouse, the officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Alan Carey, said of Brown: “He was a man who lived by himself, who didn’t have any friends. He tried to get into flat 4 and couldn’t get in, and his response was to set fire to it because he does not like not getting his way.”

When asked to comment on an allegation by a friend of Brown that he was “all right until he had drugs and whisky inside him,” DCI Carey said that that was an accurate description.

Brown, 37, of Buckrose Court, refused to testify throughout the four-week proceedings and showed no emotion as the verdicts were given yesterday.

Police family liaison officer Grant Gibson, speaking on behalf of Jamie’s family, said: “Peter Brown had never shown any remorse or acknowledgement of what he has done.

“He has ruined all of our lives including Jamie’s younger brothers and sisters. How do you tell an 11-year-old that the brother he worshipped won’t be coming home?”

Meanwhile, an emotional Margaret Wilson, mother of Jan Wilson, said: “Any punishment won’t be enough for the loss and suffering of Jamie, Jan and all their family and friends. At least he can’t take away our memories.”

Brown will be sentenced at a later date pending reports.