A village resident has ended up in gaol after he set fire to his own flat.
As RUDDINGTON.info first reported last autumn, Stephen Pritchard, prompted an emergency evacuation when he started fires in multiple rooms of the property in Dunblane Road in Ruddington on the evening of Thursday 12th October 2023.
As his neighbours watched from outside, 32-year-old Pritchard was rescued from his flat on the second floor of the block by firefighters who guided him down a ladder. Thankfully no-one was injured and the blaze was soon extinguished.
Pritchard immediately admitted to police officers what he’d done and explained that he had only been trying to harm himself. He was arrested at the scene and later pleaded guilty to a charge of arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday, he was gaoled for two years and four months. Nottinghamshire Police have now released the above photograph of Mr Pritchard.
Detective Constable Nathan Wall says: “Thanks to the excellent response by Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service Pritchard was unharmed in this incident and major damage to other properties was avoided. However, this story could very easily have had a different outcome. I am pleased Pritchard has now been held to account and sincerely hope he uses his time in prison to get the help he needs to change the direction of his life.”
