How BBC TV show Our Cops in the North shed light on Manor House fatal arson attack investigation as Declan Lancaster is sentenced

The popular TV show followed detectives as they pieced together their investigation into a fatal fire which killed Patryk Mortimer, 39.

Patryk died as he tried to escape a fire started inside the former Manor House Care Home in Easington Lane on November 3, 2018.

The blaze inside the building, which was being used as accommodation and was home to 11 people at the time, reached 1,000 degrees.

Detective Superintendent John Bent, who has since moved to Cleveland Police, and his team work were shown on the TV show alongside forensic investigators trying to piece together what happened.

That led them to Declan Lancaster, 23, who admitted manslaughter at Newcastle Crown Court in March.

Lancaster was sentenced on July 2 to life in prison and will be unable to apply for a parole hearing for at least five years.

The programme’s makers said: “John Bent is proud of his record of solving all the murders he has investigated, but the odds were stacked against him on his latest case, a fire that resulted in one death but could have led to mass fatalities.

"The evidence has gone up in smoke, there is no CCTV footage, and community tensions mean witnesses aren’t coming forward.”

The case features in episode five of the Our Cops in the North series.

The programme is available to watch via the BBC iPlayer after it has been shown.

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