Beeston: Man who set fire to family's front door jailed

Joseph Slack, who admitted arson with recklessness to endanger life, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison

A man who poured petrol on the front door of a house and set it alight while the family were inside has been jailed.

Joseph Slack admitted setting fire to the property on Central Avenue, in Beeston, Nottingham, at about 02:00 GMT on 27 February.

Police said the family of five used water from the kitchen to put out the fire after the smoke alarm went off.

Slack, 41, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday.

Nottinghamshire Police said when officers arrived at the scene they were told a man, who lived nearby and was known to the victims, had set fire to the front door.

The resident, who was inside with a woman and three children at the time, said he had seen someone dressed all in black behaving suspiciously on his doorstep.

Moments later, the force said, the smoke alarm was set off but the family was able to extinguish the fire.

'Blatant disregard for life'

Police said officers attended Slack's flat a short time later and noticed a strong smell of petrol, adding he appeared nervous when asked about it.

Officers found traces of an accelerant inside a bottle of cider in Slack's fridge and arrested him.

Slack, of Abbey Court, Beeston, admitted arson with recklessness to endanger life when he was charged.

Det Con Tony Tonks said Slack showed "blatant disregard for life" by setting fire to the door of a family home.

"If some of the occupants inside the house had not been awake at the time this fire could have had catastrophic consequences," he said.

"It is only through good fortune that no one was injured or worse."