‘Insane’ woman denies fire killing
Amentally ill woman killed her father in a house fire after her health deteriorated, a court has heard.
Emma Sadler started a blaze in the understairs cupboard at the end-terrace house she shared with her 59-year-old father, Robert.
Cardiff Crown Court heard that the 28-year-old had been showing increasing signs of mental illness and in the days before the incident had been exhibiting “odd behaviour”.
The fire ripped through the rented house in Llanrumney, Cardiff, killing Mr Sadler – who was found lying on the floor of the upstairs bathroom fully clothed – and a pet dog.
Peter Rouch QC, prosecuting, told the court: “In the early hours of the morning of January 10 last year, Emma Sadler deliberately and intentionally started a fire in the small cupboard under the stairs.
“The fire she started took hold and filled the house with smoke. Emma Sadler made good her escape.
“Her father did not and he died from smoke inhalation.
“She is charged with the manslaughter of her father, and by starting the fire in the way that she did in her house, she was reckless as to whether the life of another person was put in danger and because of the fire she started her father died.
“By starting the fire she would have been aware of the risk to life and she still went on to start the fire.
“If you are sure she deliberately started the fire and in doing so behaved recklessly in that someone’s life was put in danger and you are sure that as a result of that fire her father died, she is guilty of manslaughter.”
The jury was told that Sadler has been detained since the incident at The Dene hospital in West Sussex, receiving psychiatric treatment.
She is not attending court and is instead watching proceedings via video link from her hospital unit.
Mr Rouch told the panel that Sadler was putting forward a defence of manslaughter by reason of insanity.
Sadler, of Llanrumney Avenue, Llanrumney, Cardiff, denies a single charge of manslaughter by reason of insanity.
The trial, before Sir John Griffith Williams, continues.