Jealous man 'consumed with anger' ordered arson attack forcing ex and partner to flee burning house
A jealous ex ordered a "deeply disturbing" arson attack which forced his former lover and her new man to flee a burning building.
Consumed with anger, Karol Szarkiel, aged 33, ordered a friend to set his ex's new partner's BMW alight.
But the revenge attack went wrong when the flames spread to the house in Lime Grove, Oswestry.
The couple could not get out the front of the house after being met with a wall of flames but managed to get to the back garden.
Shrewsbury Crown Court was told that Szarkiel and the woman had split up over what she described as his "violence and dishonesty". She started a new relationship, but Szarkiel did not like it.
He would let himself into the property and behaved violently towards her new partner. One time, she called the police due to his behaviour, which sparked his decision to order the arson attack on September 21, 2021.
Szarkiel was in Germany at the time and messaging his co-conspirator. Szarkiel complained that the woman had "reported [him] to the dogs," meaning the police.
Another message from Szarkiel said: "She will have to have her windows smashed."
Messages were found on the day of the offence between Szarkiel and his co-conspirator, with Szarkiel having shared the address where he wanted the attack to happen.
When the fire was lit, his co-conspirator replied to Szarkiel with a ‘strong arm’ emoji, before Szarkiel said “perfect”, with a smiling icon. CCTV from a neighbouring property showed two men crouch down, before a “small explosion” and the car going up in flames.
Philip Beardwell, prosecuting, said Szarkiel’s ex is now afraid to go out on her own and “lives in constant fear for her family”.
Szarkiel, of Ruabon Road, Wrexham, was due to face trial, but pleaded guilty to arson with recklessness to endanger life at a plea and trial preparation hearing last month.
Adrian Roberts, mitigating, said Szarkiel was going through a difficult time after his brother died, and that he had "the good sense" to plead guilty before trial to save the court time and money.
Judge Anthony Lowe said it was "deeply disturbing" how "consumed with anger and jealousy" Szarkiel was, and the fact he ordered the attack from 1,000 miles away was "very worrying indeed".
He jailed Szarkiel for five years and two months, and also imposed restraining orders, banning Szarkiel from contacting his ex or her partner for 10 years.
Szarkiel's co-conspirator was jailed last year for 42 months.
