After his release following his first arrest, Mosley told friends he knew more than he had let on to the police, the court was told.
When asked by a friend whether the Philpotts were behind the fire, Mosley said: “I don’t know, but if they are it’s just something gone wrong,” Prosecutor Richard Latham QC told the court.
Mosley then said: “What if I told you we actually rehearsed it six weeks prior to it happening?,” the jury heard.
He told a friend a plan was set for him to rescue the children from the blaze, the court heard.
Mosley said he was to kick the back door in while the Philpotts ran out of the front of the house and he was then to go upstairs to save the children, Mr Latham told the court.
Mosley said it was because the Philpotts wanted a bigger house, and went on to tell how his friend Mairead Philpott wrote a suicide note which said she would take the children with her next time, Mr Latham said.
“Mairead was to take the blame but it didn’t go to plan, did it?” he added.
Mosley was rearrested following forensic examination of the petrol.
Total petrol residue was found on his clothing, Mr Latham said.
He told police he filled up his car on May 7 but at a BP garage, so he did not know how Total petrol got on his clothes.
In police interview, there was a “blanket denial” from Mosley over having anything to do with petrol or a fire at Victory Road.
The trial has now been adjourned for the day