Double-amputee addict torched his Wakefield flat in suicide bid and caused £60,000 of damage
Judge described it as a “tragic case”
A wheelchair-bound drug addict tried to torch his own flat to kill himself but was dragged to safety, leaving a £60,000 clean-up bill.
Double leg amputee James Chantry was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week after admitting a charge of arson reckless as to whether life was endangered.
The court heard that there had been previous confrontations between Chantry and his neighbours on Parkhill Crescent on Wakefield's Eastmoor estate, largely due to the noise he would make.
At around 1pm on July 6, his neighbours became aware of a disturbance between Chantry and a friend, who told a witness that Chantry was wanting to kill himself.
Chantry lashed out at one resident, punching him to the face before reiterating that he was going to end his own life.
The 55-year-old then went into his own flat and minutes later black smoke was seen pouring from under the door.
Two police officers, who had arrived in response to the disturbance, went into the flat to find Chantry sat on his mattress that was fully in flames.
They picked him up and dragged him from the building. When outside, he picked up a house brick and used it to hit himself over the head.
Thick black smoke was then seen billowing from the flat. The flames were eventually put out by arriving firefighters.
The flat, owned by Vico Homes, cost more than £60,000 to clean up and renovate.
Chantry appeared in court over a video link from HMP Leeds where he was being held on remand.
He has five previous convictions for seven offences.
Mitigating, Kara Frith said: "He is remorseful, he does not blame anyone but himself for what happened that day.
“It was an attempt to end his life. Now sober and thinking straight, he recognises the danger and the risk he put others in."
The court heard he lost one leg through his use of drug needles, and had the other removed due to sepsis.
Judge Simon Batiste told Chantry: "In some ways it's a tragic case, you are a man who has had serious drug addictions.
“It's clear you have struggled very badly with the consequences of this. It's clear that things got remarkably on top of you.
“The consequences of starting a fire such as this can spread and the risk and danger to others is significant."
He jailed him for three years.