Man offered youths money to set fire to ex-partner’s home
TEENAGERS set fire to a woman’s gate outside her home after being offered money by her ex-partner. One of them poured petrol on to the gate before setting it alight.
Arsonists Patrick McNulty and Aiden Price started the fire at the home of their victim in Peterston super Ely, in Vale of Glamorgan, on June 16, 2020. The victim had accused her former partner of harassing her and he was being investigated at the time of the offence.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday heard the former partner claimed he was owed £20,000 by the victim, and offered Price money to set fire to her home. The court heard Price had driven to the address earlier in the day after attending the victim’s ex-partner’s address.
Price messaged his girlfriend and told her he “had to do something”. She replied: “How are people not going to see you doing it?”
At 6pm, Price’s Ford Fiesta was seen in Cwmbran, where he picked his cousin McNulty up, and was seen filling two jerry cans at petrol stations. At 7pm the car arrived at the victim’s street and a neighbour saw McNulty pouring liquid from a jerry can on to the victim’s drive before setting it alight.
The neighbour called 999 and the Fiesta was later located in Cwmbran. Price was arrested and officers noticed his clothes smelt of accelerant. He later told police he had attended the address with his cousin McNulty, who was subsequently arrested.
Price, of Wentloog Close, Cwmbran, and McNulty, of Ellacombe Road, Coventry, later pleaded guilty to arson. Both were of previous good character.
In a victim personal statement read out to the court, the victim said: “How can someone walk up to my home and start a fire?”
The court heard the fire caused £10,000 worth of damage and the victim had to pay an excess of £500 to her insurance.
In mitigation, the court was told McNulty, now 20, had been picked up by his cousin for “a drive” and was not directly offered money by the victim’s ex-partner. It was said he was “less than enthusiastic” about setting the fire. He has an 18-monthold son. Price, now 21, was said to be “remorseful” for his actions and did not accept the money from the victim’s ex-partner and wanted “nothing to do with him”.
Sentencing, Judge Richard Williams said: “You caused serious psychological harm to the victim and it was designed to scare her. She was fearful she would be killed.”
Price was sentenced to 32 months’ imprisonment. McNulty was sentenced to 27 months’ detention in a young offender institution.