Murder charge dropped, but care home worker's trial continues

Rebecca Reasbeck, of Upper Park Road, St Leonards, was working at the home in Ancaster Court, Hastings Road, Bexhill, when a fire claimed the life of 85-year-old Irene Herring.

And for the last two weeks, the 20-year-old has been in the dock at Lewes Crown Court facing charges of murder and manslaughter - with the prosecution claiming she started the fire in order to hailed a heroine for raising the alarm.

This week however, the more serious charge of murder was dropped - leaving Reasbeck facing the lesser charge of manslaughter.

If found guilty though, she could still face life behind bars.

Earlier in the trial, the prosecution claimed that Reasbeck had started two fires in the pensioner’s room back in February 2009 and that she had told colleagues she could smell smoke two minutes before the fire alarms went off.

Taking the stand this week though, Reasbeck denied starting the fires and said the chain of events she had told police upon her arrest had been noted down incorrectly.

She claims that she had been asking colleagues about a “horrible smell” a good 20 or 30 minutes before the alarms went off after returning from a cigarette break.

Reasbeck, who was working at the Bupa-run home, also denies starting the fires as a way of getting attention.

The trial continues.