Dog-walker dispute led to Leeds home hammer attack and arson while pregnant woman was inside
A woman attacked a neighbour’s home with a hammer and set fire to a wheelie bin, after a dog walker did not bring her pet back sooner.
Witnesses saw Jade Plunkett smashing the door and windows to the door of the property in Farnley with a hammer and “pacing erratically”, Leeds Crown Court heard.
She set fire to a wheelie bin next to the property and black smoke began to fill the building where a pregnant woman was residing.
Appearing in court via video link from HMP New Hall, where she was being held on remand, 34-year-old Plunkett admitted criminal damage and arson.
Prosecutor Philip Standfast said Plunkett’s neighbour on Whincover Road would walk her dog and there had never been any problems previously.
On June 11 last year, he took her dog and said he would return in two hours, but when he did return, she became angry. When he tried to reiterate that he said he would be several hours, she told him: “I don’t give a f***, give me my dog back.”
His wheelie bin had been set on fire and the glass panels of his door had been put through. The man’s pregnant wife was also inside, had noticed the smoke coming through the windows, and heard the bangs when the windows were being smashed.
The police were called and Plunkett was arrested. She was “uncooperative”, Mr Standfast said, and had to be “manhandled” into the police vehicle.
During her interview she admitted criminal damage but denied setting fire to the bin.
The court heard that she has 32 previous convictions for 76 offences, including 10 for criminal damage, 24 for violence and five for public disorder. Her last conviction was for being drunk and disorderly in 2022.
Little mitigation was offered by her barrister after Judge Christopher Batty said he would not lock her up.
He told her: “What a very, very stupid thing to do. Drink clearly was an issue, you have got issues.
“Maybe this time in custody was the wake-up call you needed.”
He gave her a 15-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, 30 rehabilitation days with probation and a 90-day electronic-tag alcohol-monitoring requirement.”