‘Paranoid’ man started fire in girlfriend’s home and smashed her mother’s urn - Leeds Crown Court

Matthew Robinson, 32, had been in a relationship with the woman for 18 months and would become “jealous and paranoid” when drunk, Leeds Crown Court heard.

On June 3 this year, Robinson and his girlfriend went for drinks at a friend’s home.

He got drunk and his mood changed. He wanted to go home, but she did not - and he became angry and started shouting at her.

Robinson left alone and went to his girlfriend’s house in Knottingley.

He ripped a fireplace off the wall and destroyed her belongings, including a photograph display of her late mother.

He then smashed a glass urn containing her mother’s ashes.

Robinson put a cushion on the kitchen hob and turned it on, starting a fire. Neighbours were at home in both of the adjoining properties of the mid-terraced house.

Prosecuting, Gareth Henderson-Moore said: “He had little or no regard to anybody who might have been there.”

One neighbour heard banging and went to investigate. She saw the fire and called the emergency services.

Firefighters arrived at 11.45pm and put out the fire before it spread to the rest of the house.

Police then arrived and Robinson was arrested. He was abusive and threatening to officers and lunged at one of them, in an attempt to headbutt them.

The court heard a statement from the victim, who said the incident had left her “distraught” and that she had lost a “massive part” of her mother.

She feared she could have died if she was in the house at the time.

The victim added: “I cannot live like this anymore, as it scares me as to what he would do in the future.”

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Robinson pleaded guilty to arson, reckless as to whether life was endangered, assaulting an emergency worker and criminal damage.

He has 53 previous convictions for 94 offences, including criminal damage, arson and harassment of former partners.

In July last year, he was convicted of assaulting the same victim and was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

He was released in December and was on licence at the time he committed the latest crimes.

Mitigating, Christopher Morton said Robinson had now realised his use of drink and drugs had led to a “revolving door” of jail time.

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Mr Morton added: “He’s expressed determination to address his offending in the future.

“He is genuinely ashamed of his behaviour.”

Passing his sentencing remarks, Judge Mushtaq Khokhar said Robinson showed a trait of paranoia and jealousy about his partners.

He said Robinson’s actions could have caused serious harm to neighbours, who may have been asleep at the time he started the fire.

Judge Khokhar added: “Had it not been for the fact the fire services were alerted, I have no doubt in my mind that that fire would have spread.

“The consequences could have been absolutely horrendous.”

Robinson, of no fixed address, was jailed for 44 months.