An arsonist who torched his ex-partner’s home in a “revenge attack” after their break-up and left her homeless has been jailed.
Christopher Bertram smashed the living room window of the woman’s County Durham home, lit a piece of paper or card and threw it inside, setting the house ablaze. The arson attack was carried out moments after the homeowner’s teenage son was forced to flee the home when Bertram burst into his bedroom after breaking in.
Neighbours heard a “massive bang” before the home set alight, with police and firefighters responding to the scene on August 31 this year. Bertram fled, but returned around an hour later and began casually chatting with a police community support officer (PCSO) before he was arrested.
On Friday, Bertram, of Palmer Street, Stanley, County Durham, appeared at Teesside Crown Court via link from HMP Durham to be sentenced for arson and two counts of criminal damage. The 42-year-old had pleaded guilty to the offences.
The court heard that Bertram had been in a six-month long relationship with the woman, but they’d broken up around three months before the fire. There was said to be “animosity” between the two following the break-up.
Prosecutor Deborah Smithies said that the woman lived at a home on School Terrace in Stanley, which she shared with her teenage son and daughter. On the day of the offence she was away, leaving only her 17-year-old son at home with his girlfriend.
Ms Smithies said: “[The woman’s] son was asleep in bed, his girlfriend was with him. At around 11.20am, the defendant entered the bedroom. [The teen] said he attempted to assault him.”
The teen then had a scuffle with Bertram and knocked him to the floor before fleeing the home and running to his grandmother’s house. The court heard that Bertram – who had likely broken into the home through a back door – said to the teen’s girlfriend: “You want to get out of this house or it’s going up with you in it.”
Ms Smithies said that a number of neighbours witnessed or heard the arson attack, with one describing hearing a “massive bang”. Another neighbour saw Bertram – who had been “handed a snood” from another unidentified man – smash the living room window of the home before lighting a piece of paper or cardboard and throwing it inside.
The fire brigade and police were called and Bertram fled the scene. The court was told he returned around an hour later and began speaking to a PCSO before he was arrested.
In a victim statement, the woman said that the fire had left her and her daughter homeless after living at the property for years. Bertram had nine previous convictions for 12 offences.
Calum McNicholas, defending, told the court Bertram has been described as a “vulnerable adult” who has PTSD from “adverse childhood experiences”. He said: “There is an element of remorse in this case. He is disgusted by his behaviour and recognises he could have seriously hurt innocent people.” Mr McNicholas added Bertram has since detoxed from drugs after becoming “very very religious”.
Judge Richard Bennett said there were “elements of a revenge attack” in the arson, but added that damage to the home was “limited”. The judge jailed him for three years.
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View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/arsonist-set-fire-ex-partners-30630611
