Newcastle arsonist jailed for starting fire in own flat causing £18,000 of damage

An arsonist who caused £18,000 worth of damage after starting a fire in his own Newcastle home has been jailed.

Reece Murphy lit the fire on 24 February at his house on Gofton Walk in the West Denton area.

Emergency services rushed to the scene - but Murphy had made it difficult for them to enter the property by barricading the front door.

The 29-year-old had already gotten out of the house and was later seen by police officers wandering around outside of the address before paramedics administered oxygen to him.

Murphy was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life after the incident.

At Newcastle Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to arson and one count of malicious communications.

On Tuesday 19 September, he was sentenced to three years in prison, with an extended license period of three years at Durham Crown Court.

Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Ben McIntosh of Northumbria Police said: "It is incredibly fortunate that Murphy’s despicable actions did not cause serious injury to himself or other people on the night he started the fire.

"He showed a total disregard to the law and the property of others, and after starting the blaze, he made it more difficult for responders to put the fire out by barricading the door to his home.

"Had emergency services not responded as quickly as they did, his actions could have caused a huge amount of damage to not only his own home but neighbouring properties."

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