Labourer jailed for fire deaths of teenage jockeys

A labourer has been jailed for at least seven-and-a-half years after he set fire to a block of flats in a drunken revenge attack, killing two promising young jockeys.

Peter Brown, 37, started the fire after being refused entry to a party in Norton, North Yorkshire, in September last year. The blaze ripped through the block, killing Jamie Kyne, 18, from Kiltrogue in Co Galway, Ireland, and Jan Wilson, 19, from Forfar, Scotland.

Brown, 37, of Brotherton, North Yorkshire, was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter in May. He was given an indeterminate sentence for public protection when he appeared at Leeds Crown Court yesterday. Passing sentence, Mrs Justice Nicola Davies said Brown still posed a significant risk.

His victims were talented apprentice jockeys who had both won a number of races. Ms Wilson had ridden her parents' horse Imperial Sword to victory at Ayr Racecourse just weeks before her death. Mr Kyne had ridden 29 winners, and was third in the Apprentice Jockeys' Championship.