Man jailed after setting fire to Salisbury flat

Thursday, 2 November 2023 at 00:00

A man who set fire to the entrance of a flat in Salisbury has been jailed for 51 months.

Samuel Dolan, 25, of Northam Road, Southampton, pleaded guilty to arson with intent/being reckless to endanger the life of another and threats to damage/destroy the property of another when he appeared at Salisbury Crown Court on October 27.

At approximately 2 a.m. on July 25, Dolan set fire to the front door of a first-floor flat in Castle Street. Dolan was known to the occupants.

Those inside the address were woken to the smell of thick black smoke. When they went to leave the property, they found the only way in and out was on fire.

They screamed for help from their first-floor window and managed to escape to safety via ladders.

Det Con Jeremy Horner said: “Dolan’s actions caused a significant amount of damage to the address and put the lives of those living inside the flat in great danger, leaving them with no way out of the address other than via the window. It was fortunate that members of the public were in the vicinity and able to assist in rescuing the two occupants quickly and safely.

“I am pleased that a custodial sentence has been passed which reflects the seriousness of Dolan’s behaviour.”

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