Drug dealer jailed for life over arson attack on St Helens home that killed elderly couple

A drug dealer bragged that he's "always laughing" as he was sent to prison for life for plotting the deaths of an elderly couple in an arson attack. 

Kevin Weetman, 34, was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years alongside two others who were also imprisoned over the deaths of Sheila Jackson, 83, and Eric Greener, 77.

Ms Jackson's son, George Jackson, who also lived at the house, was said to have been the intended victim in a row over drugs.

One of Weetman's sellers, Kylie Maynard, 37, was jailed for 23 years; and Lee Owens, 46, was sentenced to 13 years and six months in prison, after all three were convicted of manslaughter.

The couple were killed in an arson attack at their terraced home in St Helens, Merseyside, in July 2025.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Weetman planned the attack on Ms Jackson's son after he refused to sell drugs for him.

As he was taken down after sentencing by the judge on Thursday, a family member in the public gallery shouted: "You're not laughing now, Weetman."

The defendant replied: "I'm always laughing."

Weetman, Maynard and Owens were cleared of murder on Tuesday following a five-week trial.

Both Owens and Weetman were seen smiling and laughing together in court as the verdict was delivered, while Maynard showed no visible reaction.

Owens, who had admitted manslaughter, claimed he intended to only damage the house.

Both Weetman and Maynard admitted conspiring together to supply cocaine between November 2024 and September 2025, but had denied having anything to do with the fire.

Sentencing them on Thursday, Mr Justice Jay said: "This is an appalling case involving the untimely deaths of two innocent elderly people."

Weetman was described by the judge as "a man with an entirely warped moral code".

His criminal record dated back to a conviction for battery when he was 12 and included leaving a police officer with brain damage after he ran over him on his scooter when he was 15 and under an anti-social behaviour order.

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Mr Justice Jay said a letter sent to him by Weetman ahead of the sentence was "too late".

He said: "He can't come along now having lied to the jury in a systematic fashion and denied any involvement when it was, frankly, as plain as a pikestaff that he masterminded all of this.

"I'm grateful for the letter but it is too late."

Peter Wright KC, defending Weetman, said the motivation for the attack was more likely to be the "instilling of terror" than a murderous intent.

In a statement read to the court by Alex Langhorn, prosecuting, Ms Jackson's daughter Sharon Jackson said: "Mum and Eric were our world. They were our life.

"You took their precious lives away from them. You did that. You didn't care who was in that house."

After the sentencing, the couple's family said their deaths were the result of an "unforgivable, unprovoked, premeditated attack".

The trial heard Owens and another man, Paul Smith, 40, who has since died, travelled from Liverpool to St Helens to start the blaze just after 12.30am on 15 July last year.

Mr Jackson, the intended target, was out at the time and returned to find his mother being carried from the burning property by firefighters.

Mr Greener was also rescued from the fire, but both died in hospital from burns and smoke inhalation.

Owens and Smith were allegedly "put up" to carry out the attack by Weetman, with Maynard's assistance, after they attempted to trick Mr Jackson into working as a drug dealer.

The jury was told Mr Jackson had been presented with half an ounce of cocaine as a gift by Weetman after he helped Maynard when her drugs were robbed.

But, after Mr Jackson twice declined to work for Weetman the drug dealer started to ask for his "dough" and resolved to take action to "prevent a loss of face", the prosecution alleged.

Weetman told the jury: "I weren't committing murders. I'm a drug dealer."

The court heard he played a "leading role" in a drugs line that made about £8,000 a week, while Maynard was his "trusted lieutenant".

(c) Sky News 2026: Drug dealer jailed for life over arson attack on St Helens home that killed elderly couple