Jailed for setting fire to tower block because Man United won
A MAN has been jailed after torching his own Plymouth tower block flat and then telling police he'd done it because 'Manchester United had won', a court has heard.
Elderly and disabled people, including an 86-year-old woman, had to be evacuated during the incident.
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Alan Martin
Firefighters in breathing sets battled their way through dense smoke in near-zero visibility after Alan Martin lied that there were children inside.
He then claimed his brother was in the flat feeling suicidal because his wife had an affair with Martin.
The blaze on April 3 last year at the 12-storey Marlborough House in Devonport was tackled by three fire engines and a fourth crew with a turntable ladder, as Martin's flat was on the 10th floor.
When he was arrested, Martin told police: "I've set fire to my flat – let's go."
In interview, he said: "I did it because Manchester United won that day."
Prosecutor Paul Rowsall told Plymouth Crown Court the fire was reported by a man on the floor above, alarmed by smoke and flames from below.
Martin had set light to his new flame-retardant sofa after "determined efforts" with a cigarette lighter.
He then left the flat without telling anyone.
He was found by the lift at 8am with a bottle of wine in one hand and a can of lager in the other.
Mr Rowsall said the newly-decorated Plymouth Community Homes flat and the communal corridor outside suffered £21,000 damage, but the fire had not spread because of safety features designed into the building.
But he said other residents of the block had suffered anxiety.
The court heard Martin had visited his ex-partner in Stonehouse, where he drank eight cans of beer and took Valium.
Feeling fed up, he then went into the city centre, where he had more drink.
After returning home, he said he had "lost it", but it was not a suicide bid; he was just fed up with living there.
He told police he had "messed the fire brigade about" but now regretted it.
Ali Rafati, for Martin, referred Judge Francis Gilbert QC to psychological and psychiatric reports on Martin, whom he said had "inadequacies".
"He slid into a bizarre, solitary lifestyle, but his use of alcohol, Valium and temazepam is no longer an issue," he said.
Mr Rafati said Martin, 47, was currently sleeping on his brother's sofa, but another sibling was willing to take him in if he was spared jail.
"He could be linked with the Disability Service and on the road back to his own accommodation," he said.
Judge Gilbert said he would give Martin, of Keat Street, Devonport, 30 per cent credit for his early guilty plea to arson, but had to jail him for a very serious offence.
"You set fire to your sofa when drunk and in a bad mood, but didn't call the fire brigade," he said.
Martin, who appeared at court on crutches, was jailed for 16 months, less 156 days after being on a tagged curfew for 312 days.
20 Comments
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by mcspredder
Sunday, February 12 2012, 8:31PM
“Would we be horrified if the figures for arsonists under care in the community rather than secure accommodation were made available?”
by sputnik1
Sunday, February 12 2012, 6:35PM
“The adjective FLAME-RETARDANT has 1 sense:
1. resistant to catching fire.
Me thinks the herald should investigate this further, perhaps it wasn't his fault, perhaps he thought that he could just let his frustrations out on the sofa safe in the knowledge that it was "resistant to catching fire"; this man has been set up by those purveyors of soft furnishings....someone has to pay for this...”
by Anotherbloke
Sunday, February 12 2012, 3:31AM
“********”
by PAFC2010
Saturday, February 11 2012, 9:46PM
“its easy to look at people and make quick judements,about them.their present and past,but you,be amazed at the pain and tears.a single smile hides.never judged,learn to respect and acknowedge the feelings of another.”
by northernchimp
Saturday, February 11 2012, 6:36PM
“"He could be linked with the Disability Service and on the road back to his own accommodation," Rafati said.
Not if I had any say he wouldn't.”
by MickBarb
Saturday, February 11 2012, 6:30PM
“Quote-"he drank eight cans of beer and took Valium..he then went into the city centre, where he had more drink"-unquote
Take up model-making instead mate, you can get a nice Cutty Sark or Doolittle Raider for a few quid”
by southwest1p
Saturday, February 11 2012, 5:29PM
“i know what he did was wrong,but mr martin was a carer for a few years .for a disabled person who was very demanding would not give mr martin one minuites peace .mr martin also looked after his mum ,helped me now and again with my disabled daughter .he obvious was depressed decided to start drinking which never helped .it was nothing to do with football he wasnt in the right frame of mind when asked why he done it .he would never intend on hurting anyone .”
by jennyplym
Saturday, February 11 2012, 1:17PM
“Well this is not the first such incident reported in the Herald over the past 12 months or so of people who abuse their council homes, it begs the question how the hell do these people get council homes in the first place? There are so many hundreds of decent people needing/wanting council homes who are denied, they dont have enough points tell the truth etc yet if under the freedom of information act we requested how many misfits in society were given council homes/benefits etc the figure would be staggering, we are told its becuase they are "Vulnerable" yes in 90% of the cases in the herald it seems to me it becomes a personal choice to abuse drugs and drink, anyone young can make a mistake and get sucked into to a sad life, but then they are given chance after chance to turn their pathetic lives around and give something back to society or just live a decent life, each chance thrown away, harsh yes but sadly so often very true, nowadays there is indeed lots f agnecies and help out there willing to assist those who choose to destroy their lives through drink and drugs.They seem to only sign up when they are in court to get a lighter sentence, then they choose to give up the help and go back on drugs and drink, yes its hard but so is life for us all, it takes will power and determination, the rest us dont get all these chances and support, we just have to get on with it. If they wont turn their lives around I'am sorry after several chances then give their flats and beneits to those who wont abuse them. He should have got at least 5 years for arson, considering it carries a life sentence he got off basically scott free once again!. We have tried to mollycoddle with the softly approach as all the do gooders wanted well its failed, time now for Tough Love better firmer help with consequences if they abuse that help, compulsory detox facilities longer sentences and we need to have sniffer dogs at every prison so the jails become drug free so these addicts get a real proper chance to come off whilst inside, then proper support when they leave, abuse it and the sentences get longer and tougher, its the only way.”
by Knight_of_Nee
Saturday, February 11 2012, 12:38PM
“Football is a ridiculous sport; played by flouncing fairies and supported by Neanderthals... this article doesn't surprise me in the least.”
by Tessa43
Saturday, February 11 2012, 12:28PM
“Doesn't deserve a flat. It has cost thousands to do up these properties, and not only does he dstroy it but he put lives in danger too. There are far more deserving people out there on the streets looking for somewhere to live. Let him sofa surf from now on. IDIOT”