Jamie Barrow, 31, poured petrol from his motorbike through 28-year-old Fatoumatta Hydara's letterbox before starting the fire which killed her and her children Fatimah Drammeh, three, and Naeemah Drammeh, one.

Barrow, who lived next door to his victims, admitted manslaughter, but claimed he was unaware they were home at the time.

However, he was found guilty of three counts of murder at Nottingham Crown Court earlier this week.

At Barrow's sentencing hearing today, Aboubacarr Drammeh, Ms Hydara's husband and the father of their girls, said he "knew exactly what he was doing and exactly when to do it".

Ms Hydara's mother described the defendant as a "monster" and a "heartless human being" - adding: "I would do anything to swap my life for theirs."

The judge sentencing Barrow, Mrs Justice Tipples, will tell him how long he will serve in prison after hearing submissions from both the prosecution and defence.

Prosecutor Simon Ash KC argued his victims had done "nothing to provoke him" and that his crimes deserved a serious sentence.

'It wasn't an accident, was it?'

Mr Drammeh was working in the US at the time of the fire and rushed home to be with his wife.

Speaking about the moment he learned of the tragedy, he said: "While I was praying, my phone started ringing continuously. I thought it was Fatoumatta, wanting to FaceTime.

"We all know it wasn't. It was my mother-in-law and my sister, so I called back my mother-in-law and she said there was an accident and the kids did not survive and Fatoumatta was in the ICU.

"But it wasn't an accident, was it?"

Barrow, who lived next door to the family, claimed to be unaware Ms Hydara and her children were at home when he started the fire - but jurors heard at his trial how he ignored their screams as the blaze took hold.

The girls were pronounced dead at hospital shortly after the fire started just after 3am on 20 November last year, while their mother died two days later from the effects of smoke inhalation.

Barrow started the fire because of a "grievance" over bags of rubbish being left in an alleyway, prosecutors said.

All three of the victims died as a result of smoke inhalation after the fire at their first-floor flat in Fairisle Close, Clifton, Nottingham.

'Crying is a part of me'

Addressing Barrow in court before his sentencing, Mr Drammeh said in a victim impact statement: "I can guarantee there are four grandparents and two great grandparents who would have traded their lives for these people.

"Because of you, you didn't give them a choice. You took something they cherished.

"Fatoumatta and I were happy, grateful, to be parents. Our goal was to do our best to raise them to be good citizens and to teach them about our religion and culture.

"She had a clear vision and goal for them. They had to be good citizens, nothing less. Little Fatimah was enjoying making Nottingham her home.

"I guess you can imagine now how many times I have cried. I know they will not come back.

"Every time I came back for the trial I went there (the scene of the fire) at least once.

"I don't know what is helping me to heal, but I hope it will help. Crying is a part of me."

He said Nottingham has lost a "great human being" in Mrs Hydara, whom he met in Canada, and that his wife would have "helped without judging".

The impact of Barrow's actions was "infinite, immeasurable and innumerable", he said, adding that his life "will never be the same".

"The only comfort I have is that you, as a person, cannot do this to anyone else in the world."

'Immense guilt' after 'grotesque' compensation claim

Barrow remained silent as the statement was read to the court - looking at Mr Drammeh and occasionally bowing his head.

The defendant, who admitted he drank "seven or eight" cans of lager before the attack, later contacted 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 his actions to police hours later by "immense guilt", telling them: "I need to tell you something about the fire next door."

Christopher Henley KC, mitigating on Barrow's behalf, argued in court today that the judge should consider Barrow's mental health "crisis" at the time of the offence, and the fact he has a young son, before deciding on the length of his jail time.

But he added: "Jamie Barrow doesn't expect to have any future relationship with his son, at least not for a very, very long time."

He also conceded comments made by Barrow regarding compensation for his own smoke-damaged belongings were "pretty grotesque" but urged the judge to show "some mercy".

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.