A MAN implicated in an infamous arson attack that killed a pregnant woman, her two infant daughters and a teenage babysitter has been stabbed to death.

Gary Cornish, 23, was attacked outside the Beehive pub at the bottom of the Bigg Market, in Newcastle, as hundreds of pub-goers looked on in horror.

He was taken to the city's general hospital but died in the early hours of Saturday from wounds to his chest.

Gary Cornish stood trial alongside another man for the Chepstow Road murders.

The pair were accused of pouring petrol through the letterbox of Lisa Dodgson's home in Scotswood, Newcastle, in May 1998, and then setting it alight.

Ms Dodgson, 25, who was pregnant at the time, her daughters Amy, two, Rosie, nine months, and 16-year-old babysitter Emma Crater all died.

Emma's mother, Pam Hammond, said: "I'd heard that he'd been killed. I feel mixed emotions. It brings it all back to me."

The stabbing took place at about 10.30pm. The fatally wounded Cornish staggered into nearby Old George Lane before collapsing.

Cornish was 17 when he was charged, along with Ray, then 24, with four counts of murder, conspiracy to cause arson with intent to endanger life, and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

He was later cleared of the killings on the judge's direction, but admitted conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by covering up for the other man.

Cornish, of Scotswood, was sentenced to nine months in a young offenders' institution.

Cornish was jailed for two-and-a-half years in May last year after admitting conspiracy to burgle for his part in aseries of raids on businesses across the region.

* Peter Stevens, 23, of Wallsend, North Tyneside, will appear at Newcastle magistrates today charged with the murder of Gary Cornish.