ONE of the men accused of murdering Thomas Sharkey and his two children in a house fire confessed to burning down his pub, a court was told.

Mark Sharkey, 38, who is a cousin of Thomas Sharkey, 55, told the High Court in Glasgow that as he and Scott Snowden walked past Mr Sharkey's home in Scott Court, Helensburgh, Snowden said: "It was me that burned your pub down."

Mr Sharkey was giving evidence at the trial of Snowden, 37, and Robert Jennings, 50, who deny murdering Mr Sharkey, son Thomas, 21, and daughter Bridget, 8, at their home in July 2011.

Snowden and Jennings also deny setting fire to the Mariners pub in the town on April 19, 2010.

In evidence, Mr Sharkey, a roofer from Helensburgh, told prosecutor Alex Prentice, QC, that on July 1, 2010, he was out drinking in the company of Snowden.

He said that as they were walking to the Teak And Ash pub in West Princes Street, they walked past the Sharkeys' home.

Mr Prentice asked: "What happened?"

Mr Sharkey replied: "Mr Snowden made a comment as we passed Thomas's window 'It was me that burned your pub down.' He was looking at Thomas's house at his window."

Mr Sharkey was asked why he had never told police of the remark he claimed Snowden made.

He replied: "It all came back to me now I've stopped using cocaine and my mind is getting clearer."

He also told the court Snowden had made the claim earlier in the day, adding: "He'd been saying it all day and I thought it was an electrical fault."

Mr Sharkey admitted stabbing Thomas Sharkey Snr in the back in his home on February 6, 2011.

He said he phoned Thomas and asked him to come out for a pint and then had an argument in which Thomas said: "If you come up here I'll kill you."

The roofer added: "I thought instead of arguing on the phone I'd go up and speak to him."

He said he opened the door to the Sharkey family home and walked in. He said he found Thomas in the kitchen with two knives. Mr Sharkey added: "The next thing, I got stabbed in my arm. It went right through."

He said there was a scuffle, he punched Thomas and he dropped one of the knives.

Mr Sharkey picked up the knife and added: "I just swung it round and hit him on the back."

The trial continues.