NICKY JOHN MCPHEE PLEADS GUILTY TO ARSON IN BLACKBURN

A man caused a fire at his mother's address in Blackburn and later contacted his sister, making comments about burning the house down, court heard. Blackburn magistrates listened as his sibling called emergency services, but initially McPhee, 28, of Morley Avenue in Blackburn, refused police entry to the house. He pleaded guilty to arson and criminal damage to a windscreen belonging to Shannon Grimes. McPhee has been remanded on bail to allow for a pre-sentence report.

Prosecutor Rafih Khan explained that the first offence involved criminal damage. He stated, "McPhee had been involved in an argument with his ex-partner, whom he believed had cheated on him. She packed her belongings into her car and went home. Soon after, she learned from a friend that the defendant was on Tinder, prompting her to confront him about it." The court was told that McPhee stepped outside during the confrontation, resulting in a heated argument, during which he punched her car’s windscreen, smashing it. Mr. Khan added, "While on bail for that incident, he made a call admitting he had started the fire." A photograph presented to the court showed the melted plastic at the bottom of a window frame where the fire had taken hold.

McPhee’s sister informed police that her brother suffers from significant mental health issues, many linked to the death of their father in 2021. Defense lawyer Jonathan Taylor explained, "His client smashed the windscreen during an argument over whether his partner had been unfaithful. He had social media evidence showing that she had, and both parties exchanged some hurtful words." He also stated that McPhee’s mental health problems, which contributed to his arson charge, were exacerbated by alcohol and drug use following his father's death. He emphasized that McPhee set a fire on a catch at the bottom of a window and had sent footage of the blaze to his sister as a cry for help. Mr. Taylor concluded, "This incident has been a wake-up call for him, and he understands he must ensure he does not find himself in this situation again."