Three admit starting fire that killed great-grandmother

Three people today admitted starting a house fire that killed an Upper Hutt great-grandmother.

However, Carol May Clayton, Richard Steven Pearce, and Nicholas Andrew Edgarton denied murdering 71-year-old Joan Betti in an Upper Hutt firebomb attack in September 2005.

At the opening of their trial in the High Court in Wellington today, the trio pleaded guilty to "intentionally damaging by fire" the house where Mrs Betti, who suffered from diabetes and breast cancer, was overcome by smoke and died in the fire on September 3, 2005.

Clayton, 57, a sickness beneficiary, pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder Mrs Betti's daughter Judith Myra Betti and granddaughter Latisha Maria Owens the same day, and twice threatening grievous bodily harm to Ms Owens.

Pearce, 21, a labourer, and Edgarton, 19, a storeman, sat together in the dock in court, separated from Clayton by a prison guard.

Legal arguments took up most of the day with Crown and defence lawyers expected to make their opening addresses to the nine women and three men on the jury tomorrow.

Family members of the dead woman waited outside court today to be allowed to hear the evidence against the trio charged with Mrs Betti's murder.

Four family members who were also in the home at the time Mrs Betti died escaped with minor injuries.

The trial before Justice Ronald Young is expected to last up to three weeks.

Witnesses to be called include the two women Clayton is accused of attempting to murder -- Latisha Owens and Judith Betti.

- NZPA