A HEARTBROKEN mother says a "scumbag" arsonist who murdered her husband in a firebomb attack has also now claimed the lives of her daughter and baby grandson years later.

Rose Perkins says Stephen George-Davies, who has since died in prison, continues to cause misery for her family from beyond the grave after his arson attack in Malvern eight years ago.

The arsonist, nicknamed 'Split-lip Steve', used petrol to start the fire in The Glade, Malvern in October 2008 after he was punched and thrown out of the house for exposing himself to company, including a woman and a girl.

The fire he started on Monday, October 13, 2008 killed 38-year-old Richard Perkins who was overcome by the deadly fumes as he slept in a back bedroom.

Now, nearly eight years later, his widow Rose blames the blaze for the death of her daughter Katie James and her daughter's stillborn son, William, who both died last month (June).

She claims Katie never fully recovered physically and emotionally from the fire and was a shadow of her former self by the time she died.

There were six people in the house at the time, five of whom managed to escape as the fire engulfed the groundfloor of the terraced home.

Katie James (then Katie Perkins), was just 17 at the time of the fire.

She raised the alarm and saved the lives of the rest of her family, screaming "mum, the house is on fire!" as she fought her way through the smoke-logged house.

But she developed debilitating breathing problems including asthma as a result of the fire.

She also suffered acute psychological trauma, including nightmares and flashbacks.

But nothing deterred her from testifying against George-Davies in court despite damage to her voicebox, speaking in a whisper as she gave evidence.

Mrs James, aged 25, who was the last to escape the inferno alive, died on Tuesday, June 28 which her family attribute to health problems suffered as a result of the fire.

Her son William James was delivered stillborn the previous day in another devastating blow to the family.

Mrs James was airlifted to Worcestershire Royal Hospital the day before she died after developing acute breathing problems.

Rose Perkins, Katie's mother, of Trinity Close, Evesham, who has also suffered health problems since the blaze, said her daughter had been a 'bright, funny, bubbly' person who had always been healthy until the fire.

The 48-year-old: "She would do anything for anyone. She was a kind person with a heart of gold. If she saw somebody down she would soon pick them up.

"She was very family-orientated. She loved being a mum and was looking forward to having her second baby."

After the fire Katie spent four weeks in intensive care at Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester, suffered collapsed lungs, was placed under sedation and needed to be resuscitated a number of times.

The former Chase School pupil and cleaner at Malvern Community Hospital also needed to use a wheelchair and was rarely seen without her inhaler in her hand as her health gradually deteriorated.

Her death has left her four-year-old daughter, Poppy, without a mum and her devastated husband Chris James a widower.

When Katie was in intensive care, where she died, Poppy sang Dolly Parton's Applejack to her mum in a poignant farewell.

Poppy's family have tried to explain the tragedy by telling her her mum and baby brother are going to be put in a 'treasure chest'.

Mr James, 33, who married Katie in 2011, said: "She was one in a million, the best thing that ever happened to me. Katie changed me as a person. She made me a better person."

Mrs Perkins said her mother-in-law Doreen Perkins, the mother of Richard Perkins died on June 9 this year, with her funeral held on June 29, the day after Katie died.

Mrs Perkins said Doreen never got over the death of Mr Perkins, her youngest child, in the arson attack which 'broke her heart'.

Katie was also very close to her brothers - Shaun, 30, David, 29, and Ben, 26 - and was described as being like 'a second mum' to them.

George-Davies died on October 20, 2014 of 'natural causes' after being admitted to the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch from Long Lartin prison but the Perkins family wish he had lived to suffer much longer.

Mrs Perkins said of George-Davies: "I think he cheated his sentence. He should have rotted in prison for 20 years.

"He's scum and if he was alive and I saw him I would probably take his life. He has caused so much pain it is unbelievable.

"He's tortured me for eight years. It slowly killed Katie. He's killed them all. He took Katie away from us. He even took the baby.

"I hope he rots in hell. I have lost the closest thing I have in my life - my daughter. The only reason I'm carrying on is for her daughter (Poppy). There aren't the words to explain how I feel. I'm empty and lost."

She wanted to extend a thank you from the family to all the A&E staff at Worcester and those in intensive care who battled to save Katie's life.

No details have yet been arranged in terms of Katie's funeral but Mrs Perkins said it would involve the colour pink and plenty of leopard print, white horses and a white carriage, two pink hummer limousines and bagpipes.

The family want baby William and Katie to be buried together.

A post mortem into the death of Katie is due to take place between two to six months.

Flashback

Stephen George-Davies was convicted of murder and jailed for a minimum of 22 years in August 2009.

We reported at the time how he showed no emotion as he was led to the cells at Worcester Crown Court.

In the public gallery shouted "scum" and there was a burst of applause for the jury.

George-Davies heard Judge Alistair McCreath describe his crime as an "absolutely horrifying offence" and direct that he should not be freed until the authorities decided he was no longer a threat to the public.

George-Davies was 51 at the time and lived in Oak Crescent, Malvern,

He admitted at the outset of the trial that he was guilty of the manslaughter of 38-year-old Richard Perkins, of The Glade, Malvern Link, and arson being reckless whether life was endangered.

But the jury of six men and six men were out for less than three hours in returning guilty verdicts on the charges of murder and arson with intent to endanger life.

Defence counsel Richard Benson QC submitted a letter from the accused, which expressed remorse.

George-Davies's had suffered from a catalogue of abuse as a youngster from his stepfather.

George-Davies had gone to the Perkins' home on October 12, 2008 to discuss the sale of Staffordshire bull terrier pups which Rose Perkins had for sale.

It started as a convivial evening, said Judge McCreath, which came to an abrupt end when George-Davies, who had been drinking heavily, decided to expose himself to the company, which included two women.

Shaun Perkins (the brother of Katie) reacted by striking the man who had become an unwelcome guest.

George-Davies had gone home and brooded for three hours before returning with a canister of petrol, which he sprinkled on the front door of the Perkins home.

The fire spread rapidly and Katie Perkins, the daughter, woke to find the house smoke-logged.

Had she not given the alarm, there was a massive risk of multiple deaths as six people were in the house.

Rose Perkins, Katie Perkins, Ben Perkins, Shaun and friend Robert Sutton all managed to escape. Shaun smashed his way out through a lounge window.

George-Davies had expressed remorse but the events of that evening had been premeditated and an horrific experience for the victims.

The judge, who also imposed a 12-year concurrent sentence on the arson charge, said the life sentence for murder meant he should serve 22 years before being considered for release.

Speaking after the case at the time, Detective Chief Inspector Dave Morgan, of West Mercia Police, said: “This was a tragic case, extremely rare for Malvern and the West Mercia Police area as a whole.

"A large team of detectives and specialists worked tirelessly, along with professionals from the fire service and Forensic Science Service, to ensure that no stone was left unturned in bringing the person responsible for this deliberate and horrific crime that shattered a family to justice.”