Firestarter jailed for two blazes which put lives at risk
Dramatic ladder rescue
A woman was rescued by firefighters after becoming trapped on the fourth floor of a Perth city centre tenement block.
Paighton Hanley could be seen hanging out of her window and desperately shouting for help as thick, black smoke billowed from the building at 9 North Methven Street, Perth Sheriff Court was told.
Firemen had used ladders to get to the woman, said to be “in a state of distress,” while she had to be provided with oxygen.
The fire, which led to flats and nearby businesses being evacuated, had been started deliberately.
The woman responsible, 38-year-old Shirley Kane, had also started a second fire some nine hours later at another block of nearby flats.
On that occasion she had torched a cardboard box and three wheelie bins in the common close at 208 High Street.
Fortunately, two residents tackled the outbreak, returning to their flat several times to douse the flames with containers of water.
Kane was jailed for a total of just under three years after she admitted two charges of wilful fire-raising on September 28 last year, to the danger of the lives of the occupants of several flats in both properties.
Imposing a 34-month jail term, Sheriff Charles Macnair, QC, said he considered the incident at North Methven Street to be the “more serious.”
It had caused “significant damage” and he added: “It’s fortunate that nobody was put in actual significant danger but it came very close to it.
“In my view, a significant sentence is required to reflect the very serious nature of the offences.”
The court heard that Kane, described as a prisoner in Edinburgh, had set fire to a cupboard in the common close in North Methven Street, destroying its contents - a duvet, pieces of wood and cardboard boxes - and causing extensive smoke damage.
Depute fiscal Gail Russell said there were shops on the ground floor of the property at North Methven Street and four flats above.
Mother-of-three Antonio Madureira, a second floor flat resident, was studying alone about 11am that morning when she detected smoke.
“She went to the door and observed it was pitch black, with a lot of black smoke within the stairwell,” stated the fiscal
She then noticed that her storage area appeared to be the source.
At the same time, she saw police coming up the stairs and was escorted into the street below.
Ms Hanley, who lives on the top floor, had been on a Zoom call when her smoke alarm went off.
“She opened the door and could barely see anything for the black smoke within the communal stairwell which began to enter her property,” added the fiscal.
She closed the door and retreated to her bedroom where she dialled 999 before being rescued by firefighters who had clambered up a ladder to reach her.
There was smoke and heat damage from the second floor up and fire investigators said it would be unsafe for residents to return until the close was deep cleaned and the power company had completed their checks.
Police later reviewed CCTV from the nearby Henderson the jeweller’s shop and that showed the accused Kane leaving the block of flats “seconds before the fire was reported”.
The second fire occurred at 208 High Street, where there are three flats in total.
Two residents opened the door to their home about 8pm that same day and “immediately noted a strong smell of smoke”.
The fiscal added: “Both made their way down the stairwell and, as they did so, visibility was poor due to thick smoke.”
Flames about 50cms in height could be seen on the rear of the stairwell door and a surrounding carpet area and three wheelie bins were also on fire.
They then saw the accused, whom they described as being like a “drug user,” walking out onto the High Street. She stopped and said something like: “I didn’t do anything.”
The two friends returned three times to their flat to get water to fight the fire.
The fiscal noted: “Scottish Fire and Rescue attended and due to the serious nature of the incident and the potential for serious harm which could have been caused to the flat occupants, had the blaze taken hold, the CID were informed.”.
About 11.20pm that same night, Kane walked along High Street and spoke to a police officer on duty, asking him what had happened.
He declined to answer but she said: “I was here earlier and I flung a fag in the bin.
“Dinnae tell me I set the bin on fire.”
Her comments were overheard by another officer and it was noted that the accused had “obvious singe marks to her fringe.”
She was subsequently arrested.
Fire investigators later discounted that the careless disposal of a single cigarette could have started the blaze.
Solicitor Theo Finlay said that Kane had been living in Dundee but her husband had died suddenly five years ago and that had led to a downward spiral in her life.
“His death left her bereft. She was desolate and never really recovered.”
Her mental health deteriorated and a break-in to her house last year had left her “fearful.”
She moved out and came to Perth, where she has family, but did not find the “succour” she was after.
“She found herself on the streets and began taking drugs which were a significant factor in the commission of the offences.”
The lawyer added: “She was taking drugs in an attempt to anaesthetise herself from the pain of the situation.
“She has little recollection of the events of that day. I wasn’t her intention to cause harm to any individual.
“It was clear by this time she was becoming suicidal...and she feels if she hadn’t been apprehended on this matter she would have ended her life.”
Backdating the jail term to September 30, when Kane had been remanded, Sheriff Macnair observed: “The taking of drugs and committing offences is not mitigation.
“If anything, it’s aggravation. It’s a voluntary act to take drugs.”
A significant sentence is required to reflect the very serious nature of the offences