Crime
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Blaze rescue dad started fire himself
A MAN who claimed his beleaguered
family needed rehousing
after an arson attack on his home
had planned the whole thing, a
court was told yesterday.
But, having set fire to the curtains
with accelerant, the blaze
took hold quicker than expected
and Stephen Smith was forced to
flee upstairs with his partner and
two-year-old child.
Police and firefighters were
called to the house, in Eldon
Lane, near Bishop Auckland, and
although the "quite significant"
blaze was put out, it still caused
£13,000-worth of damage.
Smith, 24, his 26-year-old partner,
and the child were taken to
hospital as a precaution, but
other than some inhaled soot,
they were unharmed.
Durham Crown Court was told
Smith complained to police about
the activities of local youths the
previous day and, earlier on the
day of the fire, in May last year, a
living room window at the house
was broken.
Smith told police he heard a
bang and flames from downstairs
that night. It resulted in the
youth accused of breaking the
window earlier also being arrested
for suspected arson.
Richard Cowen, prosecuting,
said the youth admitted breaking
the window, but denied arson.
Mr Cowen said police inquiries
into the attack went cold, but
Smith told people close to him
that he was responsible and police
were eventually informed.
Smith and his partner were arrested
in October and he admitted
starting the fire and yesterday
his barrister, Peter Sabiston,
said he now takes sole responsibility
for the fire.
Mr Sabiston said it was started
out of duress due to problems he
and his partner had endured from
local youths in the eight months
after moving into the house.
"They were seen as misfits by
some local youths," said Mr Sabiston.
"It escalated from minor
criminal damage to their car
being attacked, plus threats of
physical damage if they didn't
move out of their property.
"It was sustained and he did
not have the where-with-all to
deal with it. Instead, he took this
foolhardy and dangerous course."
Smith, of Copley Close, Tow
Law, County Durham, admitted
arson being reckless as to
whether life was endangered and
perverting the course of justice.
Jailing him for 21 months,
Judge Richard Lowden told him:
"The most aggravating feature is
that your two-year-old son was
put at risk because the fire got out
of control and you were trapped
in the house.
"It was compounded by the fact
that someone else was blamed by
you and arrested for this offence."
9:05am Thursday 8th May 2008
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