Jail for boat arsonist

Published: Wednesday, 04 May 2011

A WOMAN who burnt-out a narrowboat by pouring petrol all over it then setting it alight, has been jailed for nine years with an additional extended sentence of five years.

Kathleen Smith was earlier found guilty of arson with intent to endanger ex lover Jeremy Brewer's life. The jury at St Albans Crown Court also found her guilty of assaulting Jeremy Brewer occasioning actual bodily harm. She had denied both charges, Alan Tilbury reveals.

Angry

The woman was angry that the boater had ended their four years relationship, and was already on bail for assaulting him with a steam iron, but still went to the boat at night whilst Jeremy Brewer was asleep, pouring petrol all over it and lighting it.

Woken by the fire, he was unable to get out as the fire was between him and the exit, the other end door being locked on the outside. He called the fire brigade, that managed to get to the boat, and douse the flames, as was previously reported in narrowboatworld.

The sentence means that she can be recalled to prison at any time within the 14 years.