In Scunthorpe, residents quickly extinguished a fire caused by arson, saving lives. The arsonist was sentenced to over five years in prison for his actions.
Scunthorpe: Neighbors acted fast to put out a fire outside a home. Inside were children and two dogs. Their quick actions prevented a potential tragedy.
Sam Lawson, 38, admitted to arson with intent to endanger lives. This happened on September 8 last year. The fire started around 8:30 PM at his ex-partner’s house.
Prosecutor Craig Lowe shared that Lawson rode his bike to the scene, hiding his face. He used a Molotov cocktail, made from a petrol-filled bottle, to start the fire.
Lawson’s relationship with his ex-partner had soured after nine years. He threatened to petrol bomb her house after borrowing £10 the day before.
When the fire started, one child smelled smoke. The mother saw neighbors putting out the flames and quickly got her kids to safety before firefighters arrived.
Police found Lawson at home, where they noticed clothes in the washing machine matching what he wore on CCTV. He had a long criminal history with 32 convictions.
In court, the victim said she felt scared and that the incident changed her life. Lawson’s lawyer mentioned his client’s mental health issues stemming from a head injury.
Judge Gurdial Singh praised the neighbors for their bravery. He sentenced Lawson to five years and three months in prison for his actions.
