Man jailed after setting fire to ex-partner’s door
John Prest was sentenced to four years behind bars and given a seven-year restraining order after he pleaded guilty to setting fire to his former partner’s front door.
Prest, formerly of Eastlea Crescent in Seaham was arrested in November last year after he purchased £4.32 worth of petrol while drunk and proceeded to douse the front of his ex partner’s house with it.
He ignited the petrol with a lighter while both she and one of her children were inside the house, however, the fire did not take hold and the flames were petering out when emergency services arrived at the scene.
Officers arrested 34-yearold Prest shortly after the incident, who was “paralytically drunk” and smelt strongly of petrol.
He pleaded guilty to arson when he appeared at court in December and last week, he was handed four years behind bars, along with a sevenyear long restraining order from contacting his former partner.
Inspector Joanne Malkin, of Seaham Neighbourhood Police Team, has commented on the fact that the outcome of Prest’s actions could have been very differnet.
She said: “The results here could have been catastrophic, and it was sheer luck that this incident didn’t have seriously devastating consequences.
“But despite the physical damage being minimal, the victims are nonetheless suffering from the psychological harm of such an attack, and I hope Mr Prest reflects on that over the course of his sentence.
“No matter how minor the damage caused, arson in all instances is totally unacceptable and will not be taken lightly.”
The Houghton branch of the free debt charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP) is urging people to get help as soon as possible if they are struggling to pay their bills.
A CAP Debt Centre has been operating out of Bethany Christian Centre for more than eight years.
Jemma Jackson, Houghton CAP Debt Centre manager, said: “We’ve all gone through a time of immense pressure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"So we want people here in Houghton and Sunderland to know that if this has affected you financially, you don’t need to struggle alone.
“CAP is here ready to help ease the burden of money worries.
“It can be especially hard at the beginning of the year when it’s colder and darker and when the bills start to come in.
"But there’s still a long wait for payday.
“It’s not just credit card debts that we’re seeing – it’s also council tax debts, energy arrears and people struggling with basic living costs trying to feed their families.
“We want people to know that there is no judgement.
"People can be in debt through all sorts of reasons such as low income, job loss, bereavement and illness, and whatever the reason, we’re here to help completely free of charge.
“We are currently temporarily replacing our face-toface debt counselling service with telephone based appointments due to COVID-19.
"Our service is holistic and we give clients the time they need to work with us over the phone.”
If you are struggling with debt and need help, you can contact CAP by calling 0800 3280006 or going to capuk.org