South Yorkshire arsonist refused to be rescued from burning home

Joy Harrison rang the emergency services in the early hours of April 4, 2019, and warned them she would set fire to her ground-floor flat on Belmont Avenue, Monk Bretton, Barnsley, prosecutor Sue Evans told Sheffield Crown Court, on Wednesday.

Harrison, aged 58, who has a “long history of making calls to the police,” set fire to the curtains near the back door and then rang 999 again, and gave her address.

Smoke was billowing from the property when firefighters in breathing apparatus found her lying on the living room floor but she refused to leave, said Ms Evans.

She added that a man was living in the flat above Harrison's and £1,940 of damage was caused.

"She denied knowing anything about the fire and said she was sitting in her flat and minding her own business," Ms Evans said.

The court heard she has previous convictions for being drunk and disorderly, breaching the peace, and assaulting an emergency worker.

"The only person that got physically harmed is me," Harrison said before walking out of the video-link room at HMP New Hall.

Judge Michael Slater told prison officers she had one final chance to behave herself, but Harrison did not return.

Harrison, who has spent over seven months remanded in custody, pleaded guilty to committing arson recklessly as to whether life would be endangered.

Richard Davies, mitigating, said Harrison, of Highstone Vale, Worsbrough Common, Barnsley, has alcohol problems, but psychiatric reports confirmed she was fit to plead.

"There are a series of tragic circumstances that surrounded this defendant in the past including a violent relationship with a former partner and the tragic death of her son who committed suicide," he said.

"It got to the stage where it affected her mental health. She is fearful of what will happen when she is released. She is somewhat institutionalised.”

Sentencing her to two years, Judge Slater described the incident as “a desperate cry for help that was carried out in very dangerous circumstances.”