Bitter ex torched his children's Leeds home in revenge attack

Peter Timothy Law broke into the empty Bramley home and started the blaze in four different areas of the property, including the bedroom and stairwell.

Admitting two counts of arson, he was jailed for a total of eight years and eight months, made up of four years and eight months in custody and four years on an extended licence period.

Leeds Crown Court was told that after nine years in a “controlling” relationship, the woman finally plucked up the courage to end it, which Law refused to accept.

The 42-year-old appeared in court via video link from HMP Leeds this morning, and Judge Christopher Batty told him: “She was not happy but did not know how to leave you. She finally decided to do so last year.

"You could not and would not accept this. You could not and would not let her go. You initially pleaded with her to take you back, promising things would change. That did not work so you moved to emotional blackmail and threatened to kill yourself. That did not work.

"You then went missing, increasing the drama and pressure on her. You made threats to hurt her, that if you could not have her then no-one could. None of this worked. She steadfastly refused to take you back so your thoughts turned to revenge. It was a determined attempt to destroy at least the contents of what had been your family home. You did it to maximise revenge and prevent her moving on.”

The court was told Law had two previous convictions for arson, torching vehicles related to two previous partners.

On August 13 last year, while his partner and children were not at the family home on Atlanta Street, he went to the property in drink, climbed through an open window and started the fires. Valuables, furniture, clothes and toys were all destroyed in the blaze.

A victim impact statement was bravely read out by his ex partner in court. She said: “On Saturday, August 13 our lives changed. It has affected so many lives. It was a pure revenge attack. Setting fire to your children’s home has left them vulnerable and homeless. You controlled all our finances and your actions have left me with no finances and an empty home. I’m left to pay everything in full.

“I lived nine years of my life in survival mode. You brainwashed me to believe I was crazy and my children would be taken away.

"How can I explain that our house was set on fire and can’t go home? I will never heal from this. Every aspect will stick with me for the rest of our lives.”

Mitigating on his behalf, Susannah Proctor said Law had issues with his mental health and alcohol was contributory factor.

She added: “He is conscious of the huge amount of suffering he has caused to his parents. He has genuine remorse for his actions.”

Given a indefinite-length restraining order on top of his jail term, Miss Proctor said that he is aware he will have little or no contact with his children in future which she said was an added “grave punishment”.