Arsonist attacked pregnant partner before setting fire to clothes
A jealous thug assaulted his pregnant partner before setting fire to her clothes at the shared accommodation where they were living in a Derbyshire town. Derby Crown Court[1] heard how Sean Barnett slapped his victim across the face, tried to go for her throat and then threw a glass of vodka also at her face.
The 37-year-old then locked other occupants out of the shared block inside before unlocking it, going back in and starting the blaze. And months earlier, while under the influence of crack cocaine, the defendant stole a friend’s car and crashed it at speed into the back of a bin lorry.[2]
Handing him a 22-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, Recorder Tim Spruce said: “The consequences (of both sets of offending) could have been far worse.”
Stuart Lody, prosecuting, said the first offence in time saw Barnett, of Sandiacre,[3] take his friend’s car and crash it into the refuse lorry in July 2022. He said the driver pulled out of a junction from Digby Street, into Coronation Road, in Ilkeston, only to hear and feel the noise and force of the collision.
The prosecutor said the driver needed two weeks off work having suffered whiplash injuries and the defendant was also injured and taken to hospital where he was found to be over the drug drive limit for cocaine. Mr Lody said the arson and assault offences took place at the shared accommodation of Barnett and his then 18-week pregnant partner, in Butt Street, Sandicare, in April of this year.
He said: “She got upset after hearing him bad-mouthing her and locked herself in the bathroom. When she came out he slapped her across the face and then grabbed her, going for her neck.
“He pushed her backwards and threw a glass of vodka and coke he had been drinking and that hit her across the face. He left the property having locked the other residents in and was standing outside making threats.
“He then went back inside, went into her bedroom and set fire to some of her clothes which were on the bed. Fortunately, she was able to put the fire out without too much damage being caused.”
Barnett denied both arson and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to the second incident meaning his victim had to relive her ordeal giving evidence at a trial. There he was found guilty of both charges.
On relation to the driving matters, the defendant pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, drug-driving and driving without insurance. Dan Church, mitigating, said his client does have previous convictions but the 18 weeks he had spent on remand until this week was his first taste of custody.
As part of the suspended sentence order, Recorder Spruce handed the defendant a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement, 15 rehabilitation sessions and disqualified him from driving for two years. He also ordered him to pay £200 compensation to the injured bin lorry driver and £500 compensation to the assault victim.
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References
- ^ Derby Crown Court (www.derbytelegraph.co.uk)
- ^ the back of a bin lorry. (www.derbytelegraph.co.uk)
- ^ Barnett, of Sandiacre, (www.derbytelegraph.co.uk)
- ^ Derby teaching assistant charged with rape and sexual assaults (www.derbytelegraph.co.uk)
- ^ the main Derbyshire Live newsletter here (www.derbytelegraph.co.uk)