Traumatised children escaped through smashed window after arson attack on Wakefield home
A family were forced to escape a fire through a smashed window during an arson attack by a drunken yob who was high on cocaine.
Disgruntled William Turner torched the van outside the property on Sandford Road, South Elmsall, but it quickly spread to the property, blocking the family’s only exit route.
After a neighbour alerted the residents, a window was smashed and a duvet laid over the sharp edges. The three children, aged three and two aged nine, were then passed to safety by their frantic father.
Turner was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week after admitting arson reckless as to whether life was endangered.
Turner was a former employee of the victim who had previously not been paid. But this was later rectified and all the wages owed were paid to him. Despite this, he still sought revenge.
On August 18 last year, Turner had been driving around with two pals, drinking and taking cocaine.
They drove along the victim’s street several times, before Turner got out at around 4am and poured flammable liquid on the van before setting it alight.
The van was parked down the side of the property and the flames quickly spread.
During the investigation, Turner was seen on camera doorbells in the street armed with a jerrycan. There was a flash of light and he was then seen getting back into the car which sped off.
Prosecutor John Hobley said the fire service quickly extinguished the flames, but the van was gutted and there was damage to the house and the neighbouring property.
Turner, of Little Lane, South Elmsall, was arrested later that day but gave no comments during his police interview.
The court was told that Turner had made threats to the victim beforehand, saying he was going to burn his house down over the unpaid wages.
But despite being paid, he continued to harbour the grudge.
In a victim impact statement from the family, it was heard that the children remain traumatised by the attack.
Turner has five previous convictions for six offences. He appeared in court from HMP Leeds where he was being held on remand.
Mitigating, Craig Sutcliffe said: “He accepts full responsibility and shows a great deal of remorse.
“He did not appreciate the only entrance was at the side of the property. He did not know there would be children present at the time.”
Judge Kate Rayfield told Turner: “This was planned and in my judgement, an act of revenge.”
She jailed him for four years and six months. She also imposed a life-long restraining order to keep him away from the victim and his home.
The other two men in the car with Turner were previously acquitted of wrongdoing after a trial.