Arsonists Nicola King (pictured) and Jerely Evans can be seen on CCTV footage talking to Roy Ransom, who had been sleeping rough outside shops
Shocking footage shows two friends setting fire to a homeless man’s possessions on a city centre high street after one of them urinated on his bedding.
Arsonists Nicola King and Jerely Evans can be seen on CCTV footage talking to Roy Ransom, who had been sleeping rough outside shops.
Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court heard the pair had initially been ‘nice’ to Mr Ransom and gave him £5 for a drink.
But they soon became ‘rude’ and he walked off.
CCTV played in court shows Evans trying for several minutes to set light to the bedding using a lighter, while King watches on and holds her bag.
The pair can then be seen walking away laughing while smoke starts to appear from Mr Ransom’s possessions.
The court heard King, 22, from Waterlooville, also urinated on Mr Ransom’s bedding during the April 9 incident in Portsmouth.
King and Evans, 25, of Havant both admitted arson.
CCTV played in court shows Evans trying for several minutes to set light to the bedding using a lighter, while King watches on and holds her bag
The court heard King, 23, from Waterlooville, also urinated on Mr Ransom’s bedding during the April 9 incident in Portsmouth
Richard Withey, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: ‘The victim was approached by both defendants who were initially nice to him. ‘They then hurled abused at him and took his mobile phone. Having made him feel uncomfortable, the victim then left’
King and Evans, 25, of Havant both admitted arson. Pictured: A recording made on the ground after the bedding was set alight
Evans had previously pleaded guilty to arson and criminal damage and served a four-month sentence.
King will be sentenced on October 27.
Ayisha Robertson, defending King, said the incident had a ‘very real impact on the victim’ but asked magistrates to to consider a community sentence in light of King’s decision to switch her plea to guilty.
She also said her client had a low IQ, within the range of ‘a mild intellectual disability’ which often made her ‘compulsive’ and made it ‘difficult for her to understand consequences’.
Richard Withey, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: ‘The victim was approached by both defendants who were initially nice to him.
‘They then hurled abused at him and took his mobile phone. Having made him feel uncomfortable, the victim then left.
Ayisha Robertson, defending King, said her client had a low IQ – within the range of ‘a mild intellectual disability’ which often made her ‘compulsive’ and made it ‘difficult for her to understand consequences’
‘CCTV recorded Nicola King urinating on the victim’s bedding. She then provided a lighter to Jerely Evans so that she could set fire to the bedding, destroying the few possessions that he had.
‘The defendants soiled and destroyed the only possessions that the homeless man had, leaving him without any bedding or a blanket. The court heard the statement of the victim who stated after the incident that “he was gutted and could not believe that all his possessions had gone”.
‘By securing a plea of guilty we have brought justice for the victim in this case.’