A WOMAN put her neighbours’ lives in danger after she set fire to her flat in the block where she lived when she was drunk.
Corrine Stansbury, 33, was unconscious when she was rescued by firefighters and the police after starting the blaze at Canterbury Close in Newport.
It was lucky the fire didn’t spread as it was contained in her flat, but the defendant caused between £20,000 and £25,000 damage.
Byron Broadstock, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court how a neighbour had complained to the police about Stansbury’s behaviour in the garden at the block of flats.
“She appeared to be drunk and was making a disturbance,” he said.
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“Officers attended and it was clear she was intoxicated and they were concerned about her but they left because “there was little they could do.”
At around 2am the same neighbour who had contacted the emergency services called again after their fire alarm was activated.
Their fire alarm had gone off and there was smoke billowing from the flat below where Stansbury lived.
“The defendant had set fire to her flat,” Mr Broadstock added.
“The fire service and police attended and they found her unconscious and she had to be removed.
“There was significant damage to the flat and the fire was started in her bedroom.”
Stansbury pleaded guilty to arson reckless as to whether life was endangered.
The offence took place on August 7, 2022.
She had seven previous convictions and although none were relevant she did have one for criminal damage.
Cora Sorensen, mitigating, said her client suffered from autism and there had been “a decline in her mental health at the time of the offence”.
Judge Jeremy Jenkins told Stansbury: “You presented an immediate threat to those living upstairs and in the block of flats where you were living and you have pleaded guilty to that matter.
“There was a significant risk of serious harm.
“This was committed when you were very much under the influence of alcohol.”
After being jailed for three years, Stansbury told the judge: “Thank you. I promise I won’t do nothing like that again.”
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