A MAN accused of killing two young jockeys by setting fire to the block of flats in which they were sleeping declined to give evidence at his trial yesterday.

Father-of-one Peter Brown, 37, is accused of starting a blaze in a block of flats in Norton, North Yorkshire, and murdering Jamie Kyne, 18, from Kiltrogue, County Galway, Ireland, and Jan Wilson, 19, from Forfar, Scotland.

Richard Mansell QC told the jury the prosecution had finished presenting its case after Leeds Crown Court heard some final pieces of evidence in the form of formal admissions.

Paul Watson QC, mitigating, then told the jury that his client would exercise his right not to take to the witness box to give evidence.

Prosecutors have told the jury of six men and six women that Mr Brown started the fire when he lit rubbish in the communal entrance to the block of flats, known as Buckrose Court.

The prosecution case is that a drunken Mr Brown set fire to the complex as an act of revenge after he was refused entry to a party in one of the flats.

Mr Brown, of School Croft, Brotherton, North Yorkshire, denies two charges of murder, two charges of manslaughter and one of arson with intent to endanger life.