I don't understand why there has been no compassion shown for Phillpot's "wife"?

I've found myself struggling with this. My immediate reaction was rather judgemental and then I was reminded of an incident, about thirty years ago. Late one night there was fracas outside. A woman was being assaulted by this fella, with them were two children. Anyway I and my flatmate ended up taking her and the kids in, for the night initially. After a couple of days it became clear, for whatever reasons, she was used to be doing as she was told, she didn't know what to do next. If she had ever had any sense of self she no longer had. We couldn't put her up forever, a bit risky for us with that partner of hers apart from anything else, but when it came to making decisions she was impotent, she'd been dominated for too long I guess. If a friend of mine who was part of a local women's movement and knew a refuge where this women could go to I've no doubt she'd have accepted her lot and returned to the bugger she'd been living with. But then again there's so many ifs and buts, I don't think I'm in a place to make the right judgement, think of the kids and prejudices get in the way.

I think it's understandable that when 6 children have lost their lives, that it's hard for most to see the wider reasons for it all happening in the first place, at least initially anyhow, when emotions are running high. You could use the same argument as to why no one cared for the kids and the conditions they lived in when alive, they would have been referred to as chav scum along with their parents by most.

That's not to say you don't make a more than valid point though! There does seem to be an overwhelming back story of manipulation and abuse within the relationships surrounding this case. However, I think there lies a danger in believing that anyone (usually women) who take part in such acts, low IQ, abused, manipulated or not, only do so because they are in the clutches of a "monster". That kind of thinking just makes others believe there is an excuse, when the reality is people, even normal ones, can sometimes do terrible things. It's not because of some one-off freak and it doesn't absolve society from acting and trying to reduce harm in the future.

Feel sorry for her? No I do not. This excuse for a mother came from a large Irish traveller family and could have gone to them at any time for help if she want to escape from Philpott. They would have been round there quicker than lightening and knowing what the irish traveller community are like, he would not have stood a chance against them.

This `loving' mother fed her kids burgers cut into 4, giving them a quarter each to eat with chips. One poor boy lived on chips. Even if she was certifiable, she would have known that this was inadequate food for children. She didn't waste much time buying a pair of £80 trainers either after her children's deaths and was laughing, joking and getting drunk.

Victim my @rse. I have known people with similar or a worse life history and they never turned out like her. They strived to fight their way away from the hand life had dealt them.

Hopefully. every day she will be looking over her shoulder in terror in case she is got to by women who hate people like her.

As for blaming social workers. They were never informed that the kids were hungry etc so can hardly be blamed for not going round the house to check on them.

I agree with disgruntled on this one! I don't believe she was the driving force behind the plan, I don't think it was her idea.

But hell wouldn't have flames hot enough to prevent Mrs Hal entering a burning building to get to her child.

She had weeks to tell the truth prior to being arrested or even during the court case - had she taken any of those opportunities, then I may have some compassion. Much of this opportunity was whilst she was banged up and away from the influence of her controlling husband.

Social workers in the UK are useless they have let down many children such as the girl accused of being a witch, baby Peter and the boy who drank methodone they are not fit for purpose and the children were failed by them. I have no sympathy for her as she allowed herself to become involved in this plot and had a threesome with Philpotts friend while smoking cannabis do good mothers do that? The other woman had nothing to do with that incident. The fact he had two wives is no concern to me because both women agreed on it. His lifestyle should not have been funded by the goverment as it was clear Philpott had the children for benefit money. The two women may have been stupid but they were both able to get jobs so couldnt have been that simple. She should have got the same as him in my opinion the friend too. The fact the children were malnurished is not suprising this should have been picked up by the school or social services. Also Philpott should have got longer in prison his sentence isnt enough. Thoose children didnt deserve to be killed by their parents.

Would you have sympathy for Myra Hindley or Rose West as well?

Myra Hindley showed no signs of being anything other than a normal woman until Ian Brady walked into her place of work, she turned into a monster. Rose west had a similar history. For some reason there are women who loose all sense of reality and morality when they meet certain men, but you can't argue that it is not their fault. They take decisions to live with these men and do their bidding, and they are responsible for their choices.

The bigger question to ask is why are so many women attracted to domineering sadists? You can't say its a small rump, look at the recent popularity of 'Fifty shades of Gray' amongst female readers, how many of these women who lusted after Mr Gray would be delighted when the reality turns out to be Mick Phillpott?

I don't feel sorry for her at all, maybe if this was 50 or even 30 years ago but now there is help available, shelters for women to go to and she could have left with the children and got some help. As a mother no man would ever be more important to me than my child... my heart just goes out to those children god love them they did not stand a chance with such selfish vile parents..edit: Christine you are right, he picked vulnerable women who he knew he could control... their whole life was unreal, why did social services not check them out when he was on that vile show Jeremy Kyle... I really believe that after two children no benefits should be paid out for any more children that anyone has if you cannot support them yourself as 17 children and never paying for them is just beyond belief.... :)

She aided in the killing of six children....her children.

She had sex with micks friend to keep him on side.

She shared her husband with another woman who produced multiple kids .

She was the victim of a controlling man but she was also a mother.

She has a large family who warned get against this man she ignored them and chose a life most would fund distasteful.

I do not waste my sympathy on her as she had the choice to - not marry him when he had a mistress, not produce a large brood with him, not share her home with his other family, not to have sex with strangers, not to have set with his mates, not to participate in a plot to frame his ex for arson.

Not upset at her sentence at all, in fact she should have been sentences even longer. She looked pretty happy on the Jeremy Kyle show in 2007, when she came on bragging about this and that with hubby Mick. She went along with the whole thing willingly, doing sexual favours for Philpott's best mate on the night of the offence and after. She had plenty of opportunity to leave that relationship.

As a mother I would kill for my children or die defending them and if anyone had suggested such a risky scheme involving mine I would've gone straight to the police if I had to in order to prevent him doing what he did but would have started off with a flat no..no..and no!

I have no sympathy for her at all!