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Jilted boyfriend petrol bombed home
A jilted boyfriend who hurled a petrol bomb towards a house where three young children were sleeping has been locked up.
Carl Hirst, 19, texted his ex-girlfriend Rachel Lakin saying "you're going to be a Guy Fawkes," days before he lit the petrol-filled wine bottle, Leeds Crown Court heard.
It exploded in a ball of flames outside the home of Sheila and Michael Lancaster on West Street, South Kirkby, near Pontefract.
The court heard Rachel Lakin had been at the Lancasters' home for a week but was out with their daughter Lucy when the bomb exploded in the early hours of February 1.
Mr and Mrs Lancaster were in their lounge and their seven-year-old daughter was asleep on the sofa as two more children aged eight and 16 slept upstairs.
Prosecutor Geraldine Kelly said: "Sheila Lancaster heard a loud bang and saw a ball of flames outside the house. Her seven-year-old daughter woke up on the sofa screaming and hysterical."
Mr Lancaster ran outside to move two cars from the drive fearing they could explode. Three foot flames under a bedroom window burned for 15 minutes.
The court heard the seven-year-old child suffers from epilepsy and since the arson attack has suffered nightmares and seizures.
Richard Clews, for Hirst said it was an attempt to frighten and he did not intend to harm anyone, adding: "He wanted to demonstrate his annoyance – he was finding it difficult to handle rejection.
"He had been drinking and taking drugs."
Sending Hirst to a young offender institution for two years, Judge Penelope Belcher said: "It appears you were jealous because she was out enjoying herself and wasn't with you."
Hirst, also of West Street, South Kirkby, had admitted arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.
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Weather for Leeds
Sunday 12 February 2012
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Cloudy
Temperature: 0 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
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