Yahoo News Arson attack pictures show devastation caused to South Tyneside woman's home by vengeful boyfriend
These charred remains are all that was left of a devastated woman's flat when her bitter boyfriend set it on fire in a revenge attack.
Ryan Stephen took umbrage at being told to leave after staying up all night drinking and assaulting his girlfriend. Then when she left the home they had been sharing in Hebburn, South Tyneside, he torched her bedroom.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the fire caused damage worth £20,000 to repair and she had no insurance so lost everything, including sentimental items from her deceased mother. She was left with just the clothes she was wearing.
As we reported last week, Stephen was jailed for two years and six months after he was convicted of arson, assault and criminal damage. Now police have released images showing the devastation the arson attack caused.
The court heard Stephen and the woman had been in a relationship since 2018 but by August 2021, it had began "imploding". On October 25 that year he was at her home and had been drinking all night.
Some time after 7.30am, she said she was going to bed and he became abusive and then smashed a glass panel in a door. Sam Faulks, prosecuting, said he grabbed her hair, pulled her to the floor and punched her. She then left and he did too but not before starting the fire. Mr Faulks said: "The Crown says this is a revenge attack."
The woman said in a victim impact statement: "I lost my flat which I spent thousands of pounds doing up to have a nice home for me and my daughter. I lost my clothes and belongings and I didn't have any insurance so I had to build everything up again.
"What's worse is I've lost so many sentimental items I can't get back. My mam passed away and there are items from her which are gone forever."
She said her mental health has suffered and the offences impacted her wider family and added: "Ryan lashed out because I was going to leave him. It's changed me as a person and changed my life."
Stephen was found guilty by a jury of arson, criminal damage and battery. Jailing him for two years and six months and imposing a ten-year restraining order, Judge Tim Gittins said Stephen set the fire after taking umbrage at being told to leave.
He added: "She has had to start again with the clothes she was standing up in and has lost sentimental items as well. It was a selfish and thoughtless act in setting the fire."
Shaun Routlege, defending, said: "He is not heavily convicted and comes from a supportive situation, most notably his mother."
