Arsonist teenager detained in psychiatric hospital
A woman with a personality disorder who set fire to her mother’s home will remain in a psychiatric hospital for the time being.
Cloe Turner, 20, used a lighter to set fire to a T-shirt which she then used to light a duvet on top of a sofa at the house, in Street Meadow, Church Stretton, when her mother Sarah Gibbons was inside on October 30 last year, a court heard.
Miss Samantha Powis, prosecuting, said: “Turner was due to be spending the night at her mother’s home.
“Mrs Gibbons had been asleep on the top floor of the house when she was woken by the fire alarm.
“When she went downstairs, she found the duvet on on fire on top of a blanket, which she said was ‘like a bonfire’.
“Once out of the property, she saw Turner, of Brook Road, Craven Arms, fully dressed, walking down the road on her phone.”
Miss Powis said: “The defendant contacted the police and said ‘I’ve done something stupid’. She went to walk pass her Mom in the street, but her Mom asked her if she did it. The defendant replied, ‘leave me alone’.”
When she was interviewed by officers Turner said she did not know why she started the fire and she had not intend to hurt anyone.
The blaze caused about £80,000 damage to the property which is owned by South Shropshire Housing Association.
Turner admitted a charge of arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered at an earlier hearing.
Sentencing her at Shrewsbury Crown Court Judge Jim Tindal told Turner that she will remain at a specialist unit under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act.
Judge Tindal said: “You are a young lady, who has never been in that much trouble bearing in mind that you have not had an easy life. But what happened in October last year was, for your mum, actually really scary. I don’t really know why you did it, but you put her at risk. That tells me that you were not thinking straight or in your right mind. Three different doctors say they do not think you are safe at the moment, until you get more treatment.
He said the psychiatric report said she had a personality disorder.
“Bearing in mind your character, age and history, you will be detained in hospital.”
The judge added that although the defendant had shown signs of improvement he made the order to protect the public and to enable her to get treatment.
