A FATHER-of-two
torched his council
house after arguing
with his wife, a court
heard.
Peter Smith, 43, pictured right,
drove to a service station after
the marital row, stole five litres of
fuel and returned to set light to
his end-of-terrace home in a
Southampton cul-de-sac.
His teenage son, who was walking
back to the house with a
friend, saw a bright orange glow
inside the property and black
smoke billowing from a window.
He then saw his father running
away from the house with one of
his legs on fire before getting into
his car and driving off.
The court heard that the couple
were now reconciled.
The fire service discovered two
fires had been started, one in the
lounge and the other in
the hallway near the
kitchen door. They also
recovered a five-litre container
that was open and
with two litres of fuel
inside.
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Richard Willcox, prosecuting
at the city crown
court, said Smith had
lived at the house with his
wife, Michelle, and two
children for seven years.
The couple had been having
a troubled relationship
and on the day of the
fire, he had been drinking
heavily.
The fire caused more
than £23,000 damage, the
court was told.
Smith told police after
he had been arrested that
he had never intended to
endanger anyone's life.
Told the extent of the
damage, he replied,
"Good, that's what I
intended to do."
Smith, 43, of Murray
Close, Thornhill, admitted
arson reckless as to
whether life might be
endangered, theft and
failing to give a specimen
of breath for analysis.
Jailing him for three
years, Judge Derwin
Hope said the damage was
planned and it was only the swift
action of the family and neighbours
that saved the day by alerting
the fire service who prevented
a devastating explosion.
In mitigation, Fern Russell
spoke of the couple's troubled
relationship. "This happened at a
very emotional time for all concerned.
He continues to love his
wife deeply. She was very
depressed at the loss of a close
relative.
"This was a violent incident in
which he wanted to hurt no one
but himself. It was out of character,
and although it was a serious
offence, he is not a dangerous
man. This was behaviour of a
drunken man acting in desperation."
She then read out an extract
from a letter Mrs Smith had written
to the judge in which she said
she had been very depressed over
the death of her brother.
"I had in effect taken it out on
Peter and I feel that I broke him
emotionally."
She said she had visited him on
remand and their marriage was
now "very much back on track".
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