An arsonist has been jailed for six years for setting fire to the home of a woman who was due to give evidence against him in court.
Michael Thomas started a devastating blaze in Ruth Cox's first floor flat in Craylands, Basildon, after he broke in, poured accelerant over the lounge and ignited it.
Ruth was out at the Notting Hill Carnival at the time, but the fire gutted her two-storey flat and killed her puppy Staffordshire bull terrier. She has since moved.
Thomas, aged 28, formerly of Merrylands, Laindon, was spotted by several people breaking into the flat before the fire took hold, at about 9.30pm on August 25 last year.
The dad of two was arrested the same night and later charged with arson with intent to endanger life and burglary.
Thomas pleaded not guilty to the offences, but changed his plea to guilty as a three-day trial was about to begin at Southend Crown Court.
Published Thursday March 4, 2004
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