A 33-year-old Hundleton man has been found guilty of arson after setting fire to his girlfriend’s flat when he was accused of cheating on her last October.
Lloyd Jenkins set fire to Chloe Meakin’s kitchen by lighting two pieces of synthetic fabric which he placed in front of her double oven and two additional pieces of fabric which he placed inside.
This resulted in extensive smoke damage to the flat in Richard John Road, Milford Haven ,as well as considerable fire damage to the kitchen.
Jenkins subsequently walked out of the flat, leaving Chloe’s dog inside.
During the two day trial at Swansea Crown Court, the jury heard how the evening had started off in a positive manner as the couple’s four children were staying with their grandmother.
They had spent the day together and went out for a meal earlier that afternoon, They then returned to Chloe’s flat where they began drinking rum and coke. They then went to The Kitchener pub in Milford Haven, where Jenkkns continued drinking alcohol, this time Jack Daniels and coke. However Ms Meakin became increasingly concerned of Jenkins’ behaviour when he began talking to another woman.
Her concerns continued when they moved on to the Circles nightclub and once again, she saw him sitting next to the same woman in a booth.
When she questioned Jenkins about his intentions to the woman, the defendant’s temper got out of hand.
He returned to Chloe’s flat where he began an onslaught of criminal damage. This included pulling plants from their pots, shattering a television set, breaking the tv stand and hurling a large picture canvas at Ms Meakin’s face. Photographs of her facial injury were shown to the jury.
Fearing for her safety, Chloe then ran to her neighbour’s flat.
“She wasn’t in a good way,” said her neighbour, Amy Hughes. “Her hair was all over the place, she was screaming loudly, she was panicking and she was very scared.”
Ms Hughes went on to say that they then heard a male voice shouting in the cul-de-sac car park outside their property and the sound of breaking glass.
They then heard the fire alarm sounding, prompting them to ring emergency services.
Lloyd Jenkins denied committing arson, causing criminal damage and assault by battery.
This morning, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict. Her Honour Judge Catherine Richards adjourned sentence for one month, enabling a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
Jenkins was released on conditional bail, the conditions being that he does not contact his victim nor the other witness. He must also live and sleep at his Hundleton address.
“You have been convicted of serious offences,” said Jude Richards. “There is a serious risk when one sets fire to a premises when intoxicated, when others are in the location and asleep.
“You must have a clear understanding that immediate custody is at the forefront of my mind.”