A CONVICT was on the run last night after boasting that he started a fire which killed a four-year-old girl and her grandmother.

Simon Buckley, who was due to be sentenced yesterday for intimidating witnesses, told a terrified family: “I’m Simon. I’m the one who did do that fire and watch, I’m going to do the same to this house,” Bolton Crown Court heard.

Buckley was arrested, along with a 15-year-old boy, following the blaze at Little Holme Walk, Great Lever, in which Hameeda Begum, aged 71, and Alana Mian, aged four, died in June 2008.

But when he learned that a family, who have not been named for legal reasons, had given information to police about the incident, he went to their home with his then girlfriend Tracey Peers-Holland, Samantha Worsley and a 15- year-old boy to threaten them, Jaime Hamilton, prosecuting, said Buckley, aged 24, of Tonge Moor Road, Tonge Moor, told the frightened family he was going to “ring up all my boys”

to come round and bomb their house.

In October last year, Buckley pleaded guilty to threatening to take revenge, but while on bail went on the run.

Yesterday Judge Steven Everett warned that when caught he could expect to receive a substantial prison sentence.

Peers-Holland, aged 26, of Osbourne Grove, Brownlow Fold, had also pleaded guilty to threatening to take revenge and yesterday she was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work. The boy, now aged 16, was given a ninemonth referral order after pleading guilty to affray.

Mr Hamilton told the court how in October, 2008, Buckley learned that a family had become witnesses for police investigating the double murder and were so afraid of intimidation that a panic alarm had been installed in their home.

Buckley, Peers-Holland and the two others went to the house and knocked on the door.

Buckley told the occupants that he was planning to firebomb their houses and pretended to make a phone call to get the “boys” round.

The court heard that shortly afterwards Peers-Holland broke up with him and is now married to someone else and has turned her life around.

The 15-year-old swung a punch at a member of the family, but missed. Another witness told police Buckley said he was going to “petrol-bomb the house, just like he’d done the p***s house.”

Judge Everett told Peers- Holland and the youth that he accepted Buckley was the instigator of the threats and that they were not involved with the fatal house fire.

“It is clear to me that he (Buckley) was always intending to make threats and neither of you knew what he was going to do and say,” he said.

“Buckley realises his time has come for custody and that is why he is not here.”

After the hearing, Det Chief Insp Jeff McMahon said Buckley was a main suspect in the murder inquiry and urged anyone who knows his whereabouts to come forward.

Mr McMahon added: “As today’s case shows, we will take action against anyone who tries to stop justice being done.”

No one has ever been charged with the murders. Anyone with information is asked to call 0161 856 2197 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.