Jamie Barrow previously pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Fatimah Drammeh, three, and Naeemah Drammeh, one, in the arson attack on 20 November last year in Clifton, Nottingham.

The sisters were pronounced dead at hospital shortly after the blaze broke out just after 3am.

Barrow also admitted in April to being responsible for the death of their mother, 28-year-old Fatoumatta Hydara, who died two days later in hospital from smoke inhalation.

But he denied all charges of murder and said he was unaware that the family were home at the time when he started the fire.

He also entered a not guilty plea to one count of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

Ms Hydara's husband and the girls' father, Aboubacarr Drammeh, was away on a trip to the USA on the night of the blaze and previously told how he had to identify their bodies in a mortuary on his 40th birthday.

Mr Drammeh said his wife of eight years, a former voluntary worker, had lived a "short but a very beautiful and fulfilling life", while he described his daughters as "both really happy children".