Woman jailed for seven years after setting fire to ex-partner's Telford flat causing him significant burns

Louise Podmore, 43, pushed burning paper through Kevin Foulkes' letterbox in the early hours of January 7 this year - resulting in almost £60,000 damage to the block of flats.

A total of 10 people were evacuated during the incident, in Beaconsfield, Brookside.

He was rescued brave neighbours who heard his cries for 'help' while two other people were rescued by Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service.

Mr Foulkes, who was in court for the sentencing, suffered burns to his head and fingertips, as well as smoke inhalation and was treated in hospital with oxygen and intravenous fluids.

Mr Timothy Harrington, prosecuting, said Mr Foulkes had asked Podmore to leave his flat when she turned up with wine and rum on New Year's Day. He then ignored her texts.

"On January 6 he went to bed. At about 4.10am his neighbour Marshall Handley looked through his spyhole and saw the defendant knock Mr Foulkes' door. Mr Foulkes is hard of hearing," he said.

"He saw her sit down and open a can which she drank from.

"The next time he looked there were flames behind the glass door leading to Mr Foulkes' flat. He called 999. The building had to be evacuated. There were vulnerable people living there."

Podmore, 43, at first denied responsibility for the blaze, but pleaded guilty to an offence of arson with intent to endanger life.

Deeply troubling

Miss Lisa Hancox, mitigating barrister, said: "In my submission, in this case there was no accelerant used. By her account she went to see Mr Foulkes. Things had gone sour. She was demanding his attention, she didn't get it and, under the influence of alcohol, she made a very wrong decision."

Judge Peter Barrie told her a tearful Podmore that the sentence would have been eight years in jail if she had been found guilty by a jury following a trial.

"One of the most concerning features of this case is that there is evidence that you have started fires before. You have no convictions for those so I am cautious about them. However, any tendency to start fires is deeply troubling," he told her.

The judge said he had two psychiatric reports along with the pre-sentence report.

"You are not mentally ill. You do have some persistent depression for which you are getting treatment and you get some sympathy, but it is clear that the it is drink that lies a the heart of your offending behaviour," he added.

Podmore, of no fixed abode, was given one year's credit for her eventual guilty plea. She was jailed for seven years.

She must serve half the term minus spent already spent in custody on prison remand before being released on licence. She will also be subject to an indefinite restraining order preventing her from contacting Mr Foulkes in any way.

There was no compensation order, but she must pay the victims' surcharge.

At least 10 firefighters based at Telford Central and Tweedale at fought the blaze.The defendant was arrested at the scene.