Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Woman set fire to own house
Jail for mother who delayed calling 999
A mother-of-two who deliberately started a fire in her home and then delayed calling emergency services – during which she sent text messages and photos of the blaze – has been jailed.
Allison Mutton, 43, admitted starting the blaze at her home in Querns Road in July.
She then waited nearly 10 minutes before calling 999.
On one message accompanying a picture of the blazing house, she wrote: “It’s quite pretty!”
A mother and her two-year-old daughter were trying to sleep in the house next door when the fire broke out, leaving them both traumtised.
The court heard that Mutton had been angry and wanted her boyfriend’s brother, Daniel Roberts, to leave her property, where he had been staying.
She admitted setting a photograph of Mr Roberts alight and sending him texts saying: “The house is on fire...”
The jury heard how she also sent Mr Roberts a photograph of the fire. He had responded: “WTF. Why you done that? Put it out.”
Judge Heather Norton said Mutton had waited nine minutes before alerting the authori- ties and, although no one was hurt in the blaze, £40,000 worth of damage was caused to her council flat.
Mutton, who doctors revealed acted impulsively under stress, admitted arson and was jailed for 20 months.
The court heard Mutton had been at a barbecue at the home of a near neighbour on July 9 and arrived with a bottle of rum.
She was heard complaining about “Dan” saying he had been staying with her and her boyfriend for a long time and when she returned home she was going to “kick Dan out”.
At 2.18am the following morning, Mutton telephoned her neighbour, hysterical and sobbing, saying her house was on fire.
The neighbour ran out and saw flames coming from Mutton’s home.
Another neighbour saw Mutton standing on the pavement saying: “There’s a fire. Please help me.”
Since the incident Mutton has been staying in a hostel and with friends.
The judge told her she had made “none or very little effort” to put out the fire and had then waited nine minutes before making the 999 call – during which she exchanged texts.
She was acquitted of a charge of arson being reckless as to life being endangered.
‘You made no or very little effort to put out the fire’