A woman started a blaze in her own flat after locking herself in and setting fire to her boyfriend’s clothes.
Tatiana Lelo, 25, dumped the garments on the balcony of the property in Ardwick, Manchester, before using a discarded cigarette to set them alight.
But her makeshift bonfire quickly spread out of control and melted the window frame, before cracking the panes, and damage the flat’s fixtures, causing £3,600 of damage.
Tatiana Lelo, 25, dumped the garments on the balcony of the property in Ardwick, Manchester, before using a discarded cigarette to set them alight (pictured, outside court)
Lelo’s partner – who has not been named – saw smoke billowing from the block oand dialed 999 saying: ‘She’s burning my clothes and the house is burning, my girl is locked in.’
Firefighters called to the scene had to break down the front door before extinguishing the flames.
As Lelo’s boyfriend entered the flat she retorted: ‘It’s your clothes – I’ve burnt all of your clothes’.
The fire occurred just six months after Lelo was convicted of harassment, for bombarding an ex-boyfriend with menacing texts, in December.
She admitted arson but was given an 18 month prison sentence, at Manchester Crown Court.
Lelo is currently being treated in hospital for mental health problems.
Prosecutor Sarah Johnston, said: ‘Fire services got a call at 6.07am from a distressed man, the defendant’s then partner, saying ‘she’s burning my clothes and the house is burning, my girl is locked in’.
‘The fire brigade attended within five minutes and the defendant’s partner was outside and in a state of hysteria.
‘She was seen in a window shouting and appeared angry rather than distressed. There was smoke coming from the rear of the property.
‘Requests were made to open the door but she didn’t move. The fire brigade had to force entry into the flat and found her present in a relatively calm state. Once the defendant’s partner came in she said ‘it’s your clothes I’ve burnt all of your clothes’.
‘There was a fire at the rear of the balcony, it comprised of clothing on fire. There was a cracked window and damage to the fascia of the window. Front and back doors had to be replaced. There’s a claim of compensation for £3,618.82 – the defendant is paying back some aspects of the damage.’
In June last year Lelo – who had also had a history of damaging property – was given a community order after she was convicted of harassing a man between March and April 2016 with numerous phone calls and text messages. No mitigation was give on her behalf at the latest hearing.
Passing sentence, Judge Michael Leeming said Lelo did not show ‘pathological fire setting tenancies’ but told her: ‘It appeared you used a discarded cigarette to start this fire and it could have caused significant harm to others and the fire service.
‘Arson is always a serious offence. It’s always viewed seriously and your offending seems to be linked with difficulties in your relationships. ‘But you have been assessed as being a vulnerable adult and there are concerns regarding your mental wellbeing.’