A man whose wife and two children were murdered by a “heartless” neighbour who had a “grievance” over rubbish being left in an alleyway has said “words cannot quantify” his pain.
Aboubacarr Drammeh said Jamie Barrow had caused him and his family “multigenerational trauma” by killing his wife, Fatoumatta Hydara, and their daughters Fatimah and Naeemah Drammeh last November.
Barrow was unanimously convicted of triple murder by a jury at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday after a jury heard how the 31-year-old poured petrol from his motorbike through Mrs Hydara’s letterbox and set it alight after becoming angry about rubbish being left in an alleyway.
Fatimah, three, and Naeemah, one, who were described by their father as “two angels”, died in the fire in Fairisle Close, Clifton, on November 20 last year, while Mrs Hydara, 28, died two days later.
If love and compassion could make a person immortal, she would have lived forever— Aboubacarr Drammeh
Following the verdicts, Mr Drammeh read a joint family statement on the steps of the court.
He said: “Words cannot quantify how much our family have suffered because of the horrific actions of one man.
“Neither can we quantify the emotional, psychological, physiological and financial impact of the crime Jamie Barrow committed against Fatoumatta, Fatimah and Naeemah.
“His actions were utterly heartless and cruel – and have caused a multigenerational trauma that we will never understand.
“Fatoumatta was a caring daughter, wife, sister, mother and friend. If love and compassion could make a person immortal, she would have lived forever.
“She had a pure heart and was greatly loved for her personality and qualities.
“She was the most incredible mother to Fatimah and Naeemah, two angels who deserved a beautiful childhood and a full life.
“Nottingham and the rest of the world have been denied potential future teachers, civil servants, doctors – who knows what they could have been?
“They lived a short but meaningful life, such was the joy and happiness they brought to us all.”
All three victims died as a result of smoke inhalation after the fire, which prosecutor Simon Ash KC told the trial was set due to a “grievance” that Barrow had over bags of rubbish being left in an alleyway next to his block of flats.
Barrow had claimed in his evidence that he could not explain why he targeted his neighbour’s flat, which he claimed to believe was empty, but did so due to suffering from “very, very low mood”.
He had been seen on CCTV walking around the area in the aftermath of the fire, with Mr Ash telling the court that Barrow had watched the fire take hold while ignoring the screams of those inside the burning flat.
But the jury later heard how Barrow, who had drunk several cans of lager prior to starting the blaze, rang the local council to see whether he would be compensated for damage caused to his belongings by smoke.
He said he was driven to confess to his actions to police hours later by “immense guilt”, telling them: “I need to tell you something about the fire next door.”
Barrow had previously admitted manslaughter but was unanimously convicted of three counts of murder and a count of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.
He will be sentenced at the same court on Friday.
Mr Drammeh, who was living in America at the time of the fire and had to identify his loved ones on his 40th birthday, was surrounded by relatives as he delivered his statement following the verdicts.
Family and friends also packed the public gallery in court throughout the trial, with some weeping as the verdicts were delivered.
We are extremely grateful and thankful to our family and friends, as well as the different communities within Nottingham that came together to give us support.— Aboubacarr Drammeh
Mr Drammeh said: “People repeatedly ask us how we as a family managed to stay calm and composed in the courtroom, the only true answer to this is the strength and patience given to us by Allah and our Khalifa as he always advises us to follow the law of the country and to stay steadfast.
“We have also received a great sense of companionship from our community the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jammat.
“The overwhelming support given to us by our Gambian Community here in the UK and around the world has encouraged us to keep calm and patient.
“We are extremely grateful and thankful to our family and friends, as well as the different communities within Nottingham that came together to give us support.
“This includes multiple communities all from different ethnicities and backgrounds.
“We also wish to thank the police investigation team, the Crown Prosecution Service, prosecution counsel and members of the jury for delivering the justice today’s verdicts provide.”
Detective Inspector Kaz Smithson, of Nottinghamshire Police, led the investigation. She said: “Jamie Barrow committed the most despicable crime anyone could ever commit. He destroyed a whole family and took away their dreams of a happy life together in America.
“Today, justice has been served for Fatoumatta, Fatimah and Naeemah and their family, all of whom have carried themselves with incredible dignity since the night of this truly awful crime.
“Barrow denied the killings were deliberate but, thankfully, my investigative team was able to provide overwhelming evidence that this tragic event was indeed murder.
“We saw through his lies and, thankfully, so did the jury.
“Barrow knew Fatoumatta and the children were inside the property when he set fire to it and that they’d have no chance of surviving.
“It beggars belief. In my opinion, Barrow is an extremely dangerous man and I am pleased he is no longer walking the streets.
“Finally, I want to thank the family for the dignity and incredible strength that they have shown during the trial and hope they can draw some comfort from today’s verdicts.”
