WOMAN DRUNKENLY TORCHED OWN HOME

‘Look what I’ve done’ she said as smoke poured from house

A WOMAN who got drunk while watching the women’s Euro football final set fire to her own home following a confrontation with neighbours.

Claire Moores had consumed a ‘large quantity of alcohol’ as England beat Germany 2-1 at Wembley on July 31 last year.

Stoke-on-trent Crown Court heard she then became increasingly angry and out of control.

Her shouts disturbed her neighbours who were met with verbal abuse when they went to investigate.

Moores, aged 46, was then heard to say ‘look what I’ve done’ as smoke was seen billowing out of the house.

Now Moores, Bath Road, Silverdale, has been jailed for nine months after being found guilty of arson following a trial. The court heard she claimed the blaze had been started by accident.

Anthony Longworth, prosecuting, said Moores shared the rental home with her husband.

He added: “Mrs Moores suffers from mental health difficulties and may not have appreciated the consequences of her deliberate actions.

“The jury convicted Mrs Moores on that count only.

“She deliberately set the fire in the bedroom of the rental house. She didn’t give any thought to the consequences of that due to her mental health issues.”

Rachel Faux, mitigating, said: “Mrs Moores is someone who does have a degree of insight into her difficulties. She is actively seeking courses in custody. She will be taking up any advice she can get in order to put herself in best the position she can in terms of her mental health.”

Recorder Simon Gurney sentenced Moores to nine months in jail.

The court heard she had already spent 229 days in custody since the offence was committed on July 31 last year.

This meant that she could effectively be released immediately as she had served the term while on remand.

However, she was not released as she remained on remand for a separate charge.

Sentencing, Recorder Gurney told her: “You were convicted by a jury; they rejected your claim that the fire was started by accident.

“You started the fire at your home that you shared with your husband. You were suffering from hallucinations and also drinking to excess, getting wound up by small things, and taking it out on your husband.

“It’s clear to me that the condition is related to the offence.”