News / Two-year sentence for repeatedly starting fires
A WOMAN from Lerwick described as having a “fascination with setting fires” who started a small blaze in a town flat has been sent to jail for two years.
Claire Antonio, of Grostane, was sentenced for a number of offences when she appeared from custody at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
The 22 year old previously admitted wilfully setting fire to a magazine and a food container at an address on Lerwick’s North Road on 21 May before placing it on the floor, damaging a carpet. The offence was committed while on bail.
She also pled guilty to culpably and recklessly setting fire to a piece of paper at Lerwick’s Grostane on 29 June last year, throwing it out of a window where it landed on bushes, with the fire taking effect and destroying the bushes.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said that in the more recent incident, Antonio entered the property of a man she knew, with one of his flatmates awakening at around 3am by the noise.
The woman said she needed her phone but became “belligerent and aggressive” with her demands.
Two men in the property then found Antonio “staring intently” at a small fire on the floor in the living room.
They tried to put it out and called the police, but she fled the scene.
Mackenzie said no one needed to be reminded of the dangers of fire due to recent fatal Grenfell Tower blaze in London.
In the earlier incident, the fire service was alerted to a small blaze on top of a shed near to Antonio’s window.
Her flat was smelling of burning and she told police that a letter fell onto a candle before she panicked and threw it out of the window.
Referring to the more recent fire incident, defence agent Tommy Allan said there were reasons why she was “so upset” at one of the men.
He said his client, who had a difficult past, has started having sessions with a psychologist and is now facing “her demons”.
Allan suggested Antonio’s behaviour stems from alcohol abuse. “When she is drunk, she is unable to control her behaviour,” he said, describing her as some who is intelligent when sober.
The solicitor said the Grenfell Tower fire “made her feel horrible” and “turned her stomach”.
Antonio also previously admitted repeatedly shouting and swearing at police officers at Lerwick’s Grostane on 10 January this year, throwing items and brandishing a knife at the officers.
She also pled guilty to shouting, swearing and acting in an aggressive manner at Clickimin Leisure Centre in Lerwick on 4 May last year.
Sheriff Philip Mann said he had “sympathy” with Antonio’s issues, but there comes a point where “public interest” means they can’t be continue to be used as an “excuse”.
He said it caused him “great concern” that Antonio’s more recent fire offence was committed while on bail.
The sheriff hoped that the 22 year old could re-start life with a “clean slate” once she leaves prison.
Sheriff Mann backdated Antonio’s sentence to 22 May when she first entered custody.
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