Inquest Bombshell: Firebomb Killer Freed Weeks Before Fatal Arson

An inquest has shed light on the tragic events surrounding the December 2017 arson attack on Jackson Street in Walkden, Greater Manchester, which claimed the lives of Michelle Pearson, 37, and her four young children: Demi, 15; Brandon, eight; Lacie, seven; and Lia, three. The hearing revealed critical details about the perpetrator, Zak Bolland, and the police's handling of incidents preceding the fatal blaze.

Weeks before the devastating firebombing, on November 26, 2017, Bolland had targeted Michelle Pearson's home, smashing windows and making explicit threats to petrol bomb the property. Michelle herself had reported these threats, including text messages from Bolland stating, "I want £500, or I will finish your house off. I am going to petrol bomb your house tonight."

Following this incident, Bolland was arrested and taken to Swinton police station. However, despite being on a suspended sentence for other crimes and having recently been given a "last chance" by a judge on November 10 for a breach of that order, he was released. During his 12-minute interview, Bolland offered "no comment" to all questions posed by PC John Worthington, the response officer investigating the November 26 damage.

PC Worthington testified at Bolton Coroners' Court that he formed the view that a prosecution would not proceed because his colleague had informed him Michelle "didn't want to go to court." He also stated he was unaware of Bolland's suspended sentence or the recent court appearance, acknowledging that this was a "significant factor" that might have engaged bail conditions and continued the investigation. He expressed that if he had been "fully aware of all that," he would have passed the information to the custody sergeant to take the matter further.

Michelle Pearson had expressed her fears for safety repeatedly before the attack. She had informed social workers that she did not feel safe in her own home, and had told Salford council's housing department that "she was in danger," though she did not qualify for emergency housing. The court previously heard details of a "tit-for-tat" feud involving Bolland and others, escalating from trivial incidents to the spray-painting of the word "grass" on her walls and a wheelie bin being set alight.

The inquest heard that PC Worthington telephoned Michelle around 12:30 AM, approximately half an hour after Bolland's release, leaving a message informing her of the development. However, Michelle was reportedly "unaware" of the decision to release Bolland. He then appeared at her property on December 1, shouting that he had been "NFA'd" (no further action), which prompted Michelle to contact police again. A police report documented Michelle's upset, stating she believed there had been "some sort of miscommunication" and that she would "actually support prosecution," asking for the case to be reopened. PC Worthington denied being aware of this shift in Michelle's stance, maintaining his belief at the time that she did not support prosecution.

The devastating firebombing occurred shortly after these events. Three of Michelle's children – Demi, Brandon, and Lacie – died at the scene, with Lia passing away in hospital two days later. Michelle, who suffered 68 percent burns, tragically died 21 months after the attack due to complications, reportedly clutching a photograph of four of her children.

Zak Bolland and David Worrall, then 23 and 25 respectively, were convicted of the children's murders in May 2018 and sentenced to life imprisonment, ordered to serve 40 and 37 years. Bolland's then-girlfriend, Courtney Brierley, who waited in a nearby car, was jailed for 21 years for manslaughter. Bolland and Worrall were later found guilty of Michelle's murder at a separate trial in 2021, with Brierley admitting to manslaughter and receiving an additional, concurrent 12-year sentence. The inquest, which is expected to last around two months, continues to examine the circumstances leading to this profound tragedy.