Alcoholic arsonist attacked elderly mum's home

Paul Southern was found guilty of arson with intent to endanger life

An alcoholic arsonist who deliberately set his elderly and disabled mother's home on fire has been jailed for eight years.

Paul Southern, 61, started two fires at the back door of his 85-year-old mum's home after they fell out over his drinking and persistent pleas for money, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

She was woken by a vibrating fire alarm beneath her pillow, while neighbours also saw the blaze and came to her aid.

Southern was found guilty of committing arson with intent to endanger life. Judge Amanda Rippon said she could not imagine the fear his mother had felt.

Southern, of Arcot Avenue in Nelson Village, Cramlington, and his mother previously had a good relationship, but that deteriorated over the 18 months leading up to the blaze because of his alcohol abuse and demands for cash, prosecutor Ian Cook said.

On 22 October last year, she complained to police about her son and he was arrested on suspicion of harassment before being released on condition not to go to her home.

But he turned up again the following day and police had to be called again, the court heard.

Hard of hearing

Then, at about 03:00 BST on 24 October, Southern took a ladder so he could scale a locked garden gate and set fire to a mop head and garden gloves beside the back door to his mother's home, Mr Cook said.

Southern smashed a window in the door so the blaze would get inside, the court heard.

His mother, who was hard of hearing and had put her hearing aids on charge overnight, was asleep in bed.

Despite having a stairlift because of her mobility issues, she got downstairs to find the back door ablaze and neighbours at the scene trying to put it out, the court heard.

In a statement read to the court, Southern's mother said she felt "at ease" knowing he was in prison "getting help and support" for his issues.

"Whenever I hear noises, I worry in case it is Paul," she said, adding: "I never thought Paul would do anything like this."

Judge Rippon said it was "hard to imagine" what it must have been like for the woman "to find her son set fire to her home intending for her life to be endangered".

The judge said Southern was an alcoholic but he refused to accept it.

Having been deemed dangerous, he must serve an extra two years on extended licence.

A restraining order banning him from contacting his mother or going to her home for 10 years was also made.