ARSONIST’S £25K ‘CRY FOR HELP’

Woman set fire to her own flat

AN arsonist who set fire to her own curtains, causing £25,000 worth of damage to her flat, did it as a “cry for help”.

Susan Jones, 49, torched her flat and told police she wanted to be arrested.

An officer advised her to go to a police station while they checked if anyone else was in the block of flats.

Jones, of Bryn Coed in Llan Ffestiniog, pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

A judge at a sentencing hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court yesterday adjourned the case for a psychiatric assessment of Jones.

Prosecutor Richard Edwards said the defendant lived in a ground-floor flat in in Bryn Coed.

At 1pm on September 8, a neighbour heard a fire alarm. After a few minutes she saw thick black smoke coming from the defendant’s door.

The neighbour ran upstairs to get her phone to call emergency services.

The prosecutor said: “She then went to the defendant’s flat. She didn’t know if the defendant was inside.

“She was shouting the defendant’s name and got as far as the bedroom, but she was overcome by smoke.”

Then another neighbour told her they had seen Jones leave the property.

Meanwhile, a police officer on patrol in Manod Road was flagged down by the defendant.

The court heard Jones told the officer: “You need to arrest me for arson. I’ve set my curtains on fire.”

The prosecutor said: “The officer told the defendant to make her way to a police station while the officer went to the flats to ensure the safety of residents.”

The defendant drove to Blaenau Ffestiniog police station and told another officer: “I did not do it on purpose. I did not want to endanger life. I was suicidal.”

Jones was arrested. In a police interview, she said her behaviour had been a “cry for help”. She had been released from prison with no money or food.

The prosecutor said the fire caused an estimated £25,000 worth of damage.

Simon Rogers, defending, said his client has heart and eye problems and believes she is dying.

Jones appeared by video link from HMP Styal in Wilmslow in Cheshire.

The judge, Her Honour Nicola Saffman speculated that there may be “an element of manipulation” of the system by Jones to go to a psychiatric unit.

But the judge ordered a psychiatric assessment of Jones to be made and said depending on its results she may then make a hospital order.