A woman set fire to her home only hours after she was served with an eviction notice, a court has been told.

Denise Gill returned from Colchester County Court and set fire to curtains and belongings at her Hilltop Close house in the town.

Firefighters put out the blaze, but a jury heard yesterday (Thursday) how they had to return later as Gill, 33, had started another fire.

She was furious at being served with the notice and told police she intended to burn the house down, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Gill denies a charge of reckless arson and endangering the life of her brother, Kevin, after she set fire to her Estuary Housing Association home in Colchester, on September 11 last year.

Mark Halsey, prosecuting, said Gill and her brother had been drinking strong cider on the day she went to court and was served with the notice telling her to vacate the house within 28 days.

The two of them drank more cider before going back to the house, where Gill set fire to a curtain and some bedding.

"When the fire service arrived on the scene, she was seen to close the door and they had to force their way into the house to deal with the fire," Mr Halsey said.

The blaze was put out but, an hour-and-a-half later, firefighters were called back when smoke was seen coming from an upstairs bedroom.

Firefighters dealt with the blaze, which had been started on a bed. The housing association said damage to the property amounted to £2,750.

"Gill was spoken to by police when she was seen nearby and she admitted starting the fires and said it was her intention to burn the house down," Mr Halsey said.

"She also said she wanted to kill herself and said the thick black smoke would get her so she did not feel the flames," he added.

Gill was asked about her brother and she said he could have got out of the house as he was downstairs at the time.

"The prosecution says there was an obvious risk to her brother. If that fire had taken hold and she had been overcome by smoke, her brother was obviously at risk," Mr Halsey added.

The trial continues

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