A woman who started two fires at her brother’s home in Conwy and scratched “die” on the bonnet of his car will be detained at a psychiatric hospital “without limit of time”.
Lena Scarrett, from Stoke on Trent, had admitted charges of arson, criminal damage and possessing a bladed article at an earlier hearing and appeared before a judge at Caernarfon Crown Court for sentence.
After hearing submissions on the 46-year-old’s behalf, the judge, Mr Recorder Timothy Petts, agreed with medical opinions that she was suffering from a serious mental illness at the time of the offences last October.
He said: “Clearly these are serious offences and the people in the house were understandably terrified. Fortunately the fires were quickly extinguished.”
The judge ordered she be detained under the Mental Health Act for treatment in hospital and remain there until doctors believe she is well enough to be released back into the community.
He imposed a restraining order preventing Scarrett from contacting her brother and his family and banned her indefinitely from visiting their home.
Ffion Tomos, prosecuting, said last October Scarrett had travelled from her home in Stoke on Trent to Conwy.
She told the court Scarrett had flammable liquids and a knife and hammer.
“On arrival she immediately set about putting the house on fire. She started fires in the front and rear porches of the house. She used a hammer to smash a window and the knife to scratch “die” on the bonnet of a vehicle,” the barrister said.
Scarrett’s brother was in the house with his wife and son, but they were all able to escape.
The fire service was called and the blaze were quickly extinguished and Scarrett was arrested at the scene.
Ms Tomos said the fire caused more than £4,500 of damage to the house and car but no one was hurt.
Scarrett was said to have told police she hadn’t wanted to kill her brother but wanted to scare him.
Dr John Croft said Scarrett had suffered from a serious mental illness since 2005 and at the time of the offence was not in the care of doctors and had suffered a serious relapse.
He said since her arrest she had been in hospital and her condition has stablilised.
Urging the judge make a hospital order, her barrister Matthew Curtis said she wanted to return to the community and lead an ordinary life as soon as possible.
see-http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/conwy-mans-sister-who-set-11831298
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