AN arsonist with a fascination with fire and making hoax 999 calls has been jailed for four years.
Richard Wilson, 32, deliberately started two fires at his council-owned property in Northampton town centre in February, later saying he did it because he was cold and it made him feel better.
Northampton Crown Court heard fire crews had already been called to his address in Portland Place, off Abington Square, Northampton in September when he lit a fire on the balcony.
Robert Underwood, prosecuting today, said fire fighters then received a call on 10.30am on Thursday, February 2 following reports of a fire at Wilson’s home address.
He said: “The chief fire officer and the crew stood outside the property and could not see any fire or smoke coming from the building. The defendant appeared from an open window from the first floor and lots of smoke began billowing out. The officer recognised the defendant as he knew him from before. There had been a fire on the balcony of the same self flat in September 2011.
“The chief fire officer recalled back to that time when the defendant had been talking about having injured his foot and how that had made him set fire to the building.”
The court heard Wilson told the fire fighters they were not needed and told them to leave but when they were able to gain access to his property, it was filled with smoke from the two fires.
Mr Underwood added: “The officer told him to come out of the flat but the defendant retreated. When the crew did enter the flat, he became abusive and aggressive and the police were called.
“There were two seats of fire – one on the defendant ‘s mattress and the other by a cupboard by thee front door. There was a lot of material, paper and cardboard.
“It’s clear this man is well known to the fire brigade, and the police, because he has a history of making 999 calls. Since the start of 2011, there have been 210 such calls, mainly without cause.
Wilson, now of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to arson which caused £1,200 damage. He was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and will be on extended licence until July 2019.
Judge Hilary Watson said: “This was in your flat but it was close to all the other residents in the block and if the fire had took hold, it would not have just been your flat which was damaged.
“The real danger is you told the police that he had been upset by someone at the soup kitchen and you lit this fire to make you feel better and to make you warm, without thinking of the consequences and without any thought of anyone else around you.
“In looking at your record, it’s right to say there are no other offences of fire setting but I’m told that as relatively recently as last year, a fire officer was called to your flat because of a fire.
“It is your unpredictability which is ultimately the danger in this case.
“That’s because you do not know what you are going to do or when you are going to do it so no one can be protected from that unpredictability.”
Tony Davis, for Wilson, said a psychiatrist had concluded he was not psychotic.
He added: “What is clear is this is a person who does have a personality disorder especially when he is stressed or pressurised. This was an apparent one-off.”