Murder trial begins into death of teenage jockeys in house fire

A man deliberately set fire to a block of flats, killing two teenage jockeys, after being turned away from a party, a court has heard.

Peter Brown, of Brotherton, West Yorkshire, denies two charges of murder, alternative charges of manslaughter and a charge of arson with intent to endanger

life.

Jockeys Jamie Kyne, 18, from Co Galway, Ireland, and Jan Wilson, 19, from Forfar in Angus, died in the fire at Norton near Malton, North Yorkshire, on 5 September 2009.

Yesterday the prosecution at Leeds Crown Court alleged Brown set the fire in the communal entrance hall of the flats, in which he also lived, after being refused entrance to a party in the jockeys’ flat.

Richard Mansell QC said Brown had taken cocaine and drunk lager and whisky before he carried out the act of revenge.

Today the court heard from friends of the teenagers who had escaped the fire.

The trial continues.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now