Arson attack ‘could’ve killed baby’
APENSIONER who carried out an arson attack on his neighbours - only for the fire to spread to the home of a mother and her baby - has been jailed.
Hospital worker Michael Court, from Ramsbottom, could have killed the child, a judge said.
He vowed to ‘sort out’ the unnamed family after they repeatedly left out rubbish to rot, dumped rusty cars on their driveway and played loud music, a court heard.
Drunk, he torched two wheelie bins belonging to his intended victims at 2am, in the hope of driving them out of the property.
But the flames spread next door as the woman was asleep at home with her 12-week-old daughter.
The court heard the woman was woken up by smoke and flames billowing up to 20 feet against her window and had to flee for her life with her child. Both were treated for smoke inhalation.
Court, who suffers from dementia and who lives alone with his pet Jack Russell dog, later claimed he recalled nothing of the incident. He broke down in tears when police told him about the mother and baby.
Inquiries revealed the neighbours he targeted were not at home at the time of the arson attack, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
The blaze cracked windows at the woman’s home and left scorch marks on the wall. Firefighters put out the flames.
In a statement, the woman said: “This incident really upset me and still does any time I go into my daughter’s bedroom.”
Court, 70, admitted arson and was jailed for three years.
The incident happened on December 15 last year after keen angler Court grew fed up with his neighbours, who had only just moved in next door two weeks earlier.
Prosecuting, Lisa Boocock said: “These neighbours moved in and upset the defendant with antisocial behaviour. They left rubbish out and had old rusty cars and played loud music and the like.
“The defendant spoke to his other neighbour about it who was also angered by their behaviour and the defendant asked if they should ‘sort them out’ but his other neighbour said no.
“This defendant then in the early hours went onto the complainant’s property - they were not in at the time - and set fire to some bins on the driveway in between two of their old vehicles which in turn caught fire.”
In mitigation, Paul Bryning said: “This was a stupid act. He set fire to bins on the driveway, but he had no intention or expectation that it would have the effect it did.
“He accepts he acted out of spite. He is suffering from dementia.”
Judge Bernard Lever told the defendant: “You spoke to your neighbour about ‘sorting them out’, a completely inappropriate, unacceptable way of dealing with neighbour disputes. We have civil courts and criminal courts in this country to deal with such things. But you decided to take matters into your own hands.
“You set fire to some wheelie bins with a view to damaging the cars in your neighbours driveway.
“The flames reached 20 feet high and near to a baby’s bedroom, the window of which cracked.
“Fire officers say the flames and smoke could have killed that baby, leaving its mother beside herself with worry in the dead of night.
“In my judgement your conduct was unlawful and malicious and the damage you caused - the distress you caused - trumps any issue of giving you more assistance in your health needs. The anguish the mother suffered trumps that.”