A Hundleton man who set fire to his former partner’s flat causing her and her children to become homeless has been jailed for four years by Swansea Crown Court.
Lloyd Jenkins, 33, set fire to Chloe Meakin’s flat following a night out in Milford Haven on October 15, 2022.
Earlier that day the couple had enjoyed a meal together, as the three children who lived with them – two of whom are Chloe Meakin’s from a previous relationship and one of whom is Jenkins’ – had arranged to spend the night with their grandmother.
They returned to Miss Meakin’s flat in Richard John Road, Milford Haven, where they started drinking rum and cokes. Later that evening they went to The Kitchener pub where Jenkins continued drinking, this time Jack Daniels and coke.
Tensions began to mount between Jenkins and Chloe Meakin, after the defendant began talking to another woman who was present in the pub.
Their argument continued in the Circles Nightclub and this was when Chloe Meakin decided to return to her flat.
A short while later, Jenkins arrived.
He asked if he could borrow Ms Meakin’s phone, however when she refused, he resorted to violence.
He removed plants from their pots, smashed a television, damaged its stand and removed a large picture canvas from the wall before throwing it at Ms Meakin’s face.
“You were drunk and you became angry towards your ex-partner,” commented Judge Catherine Richards, when sentencing Jenkins this afternoon.
“You lost your temper, you knocked a canvas off the wall and threw it towards your partner. You threw things around and caused criminal damage, including to a television and a table.”
Chloe Meakin fled the premises, fearing for her safety, and sought shelter with a neighbour.
This was when Jenkins set fire to the kitchen using synthetic material which he placed inside both the top and bottom ovens and on two separate areas of the vinyl flooring. As a result of the fire, there was extensive smoke damage to the living room, bathroom, bedroom, hallway and staircase.
“You rendered your partner and her children homeless”, added Judge Richards.
A victim impact statement was read out to the court, in which Ms Meakin said that the incident had turned her life ‘upside down’.
“I’ve been made homeless and my children have become very unsettled and have disturbed sleep,” she said.
“A fire alarm recently went off in a property I was staying at and I had an extreme panic attack.
“ I can’t eat, and I’m feeling numb. I’ve had to sort out housing and schooling issues on my own and I have to borrow clothes and other items as I can’t face going back to the house.”
Jenkins, a former shellfish fisherman, originally denied three charges of arson, criminal damage and assault causing actual bodily harm however he was found guilty by a jury following his trial last month.
He has a total of 17 previous convictions, including battery, criminal damage, and assaulting emergency workers.
Jenkins was sentenced to four years in prison. He will serve half of this sentence in custody while the remaining half will be spent on licence.
