An arsonist struck again years after he previously held his wife in a "hostage situation" after setting fire to his T-shirt and curtains in a flat. Despite receiving an extended prison sentence in March 2012 for an offence of arson being reckless, Harold Blades carried out another arson offence in St Ann's in the early hours of May 17 last year.
This time, a drunk Blades put a bottle of petrol on the doorstep of the home of Jonathan Francis - who lived with his dementia-suffering uncle, aged 83, in Curzon Court. Blades deliberately pointed the bottle at the door, said Steven Gosnell, prosecuting, on Thursday (January 5).
He removed his gloves, lit the end of the bottle closest to the door with his lighter, then picked up his can of beer. The fire caused a minor fire on the doorstep and burn damage to the bottom of the door.
