A PRISONER accused of offering fellow inmates £50,000 to arrange a house fire to kill his ex-wife and children said he handed over plans of the property simply to “prove he was an architect”.

Andrew McGarry allegedly gave fellow prisoner James Plaice detailed drawings of the property he used to share with his wife Heather in Victoria Road in Horwich and pointed out exactly where valuable goods including several televisions were with instructions to “unplug and take".

A jury at Bolton Crown Court also heard that McGarry told police he gave out details of the house’s alarm code to an inmate because he said he was “a gullible idiot”.

McGarry is accused of plotting a masterplan to have his ex-wife killed from inside HMP Forest Bank.

Prosecutor Neil Fryman and DC Nick Gibson read out transcripts of police interviews following McGarry’s arrest earlier this year.

Officers questioned him on why he had provided his fellow inmate with the architectural plans as well as codes for the alarm and safe in the house and details of when his wife and children would be inside.

McGarry told officers: “I only drew the plans to prove I could draw my house to others in prison.

“They said prove you can draw because we don’t believe you are an architect — there was no incentive.”

McGarry, formerly of Croyde Close, Harwood, was jailed in February, 2013 after pleading guilty to arson with intent to endanger life.

He denies two counts of soliciting the murders of Heather McGarry and Andrea Leighton between February 1 and June 10 last year and three further charges of encouraging or assisting the commission of offences of assault, theft and criminal damage including arson.

The trial continues.