A YORKSHIRE woman whose two sons were killed by their father who lured them into the attic with the promise of new toys and sweets before locking them in will appear on a documentary about family murder.
Claire Throssell's two sons were killed by their father Darren Sykes after he propped a chair under a door handle and lit over a dozen separate fires around his house in South Yorkshire.
Jack, 12, and Paul, nine, were "enticed" up to the attic after being promised trains and track to build a model railway during a court-ordered visit to their father – who then lit 16 separate fires around the barricaded house – in October 2014.
Ms Throssell, who was harassed and stalked by ex-husband Sykes, has been campaigning to reform the family courts since the death of her sons. Despite a history of violence towards Ms Throssell, the court ruled Mr Sykes could look after the young brothers for five-hours a week.
Tomorrow night I will be featured on a documentary about Familicide on Sky Crime and Investigation.#childfirst #rememberingjackandpaul.By wearing a white ribbon tomorrow you may just inspire someone to speak up and speak out.#DABill to protect ANYONE being abused by a partner pic.twitter.com/q2fcGIvV73
— Claire Throssell (@clairethrossell) November 24, 2020
The woman will appear on the Crime+Investivation documentary 'Family Man', which looks at familicide via three high-profile cases of chilling family murders committed by Paul Newman, Darren Sykes, and Robert Mochrie.
Familicide is a term used for murder or murder-suicide where multiple close family members are killed and the perpetrator then kills themselves.
The documentary will air tonight, November 25, at 9pm.
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