STANLEY MAN JAILED FOR ARSON ATTACK ON EX-GIRLFRIEND'S HOME

An arsonist named Christopher Bertram has been sentenced to three years in jail for deliberately setting fire to his ex-girlfriend's home in Stanley, Durham. The incident occurred in August when Bertram, 43, caused significant damage to the mid-terraced house, rendering it uninhabitable. The victim reported she was now waiting for a new house after being unable to return to her previous residence. Bertram, of Palmer Street in Stanley, admitted to the court that he committed arson and caused criminal damage, with his actions being reckless as to whether life was endangered. The court heard that Bertram and the victim had been in a relationship for six months, which ended acrimoniously earlier that year. On the evening of 31 August, Bertram forced entry into her home and started a fire in the living room, though neighbors intervened quickly to alert the fire brigade. A statement from the victim described her emotional distress and her loss of her home, which had a significant impact on her life. Prosecutor Deborah Smithies highlighted Bertram's history of domestic abuse. In mitigation, Bertram's lawyer claimed he had now turned away from drugs and found faith through a new religion. Judge Richard Bennett noted that Bertram’s prior history of domestic abuse, combined with his drunken state and premeditated act involving petrol, posed a severe threat to the community, as many residents could have been endangered if the fire had spread.