Man who set fire to his girlfriend’s belongings sentenced

A man who set fire to his girlfriend’s belongings, leading to an apartment block being evacuated has been sentenced.

Daniel Byrom (22/10/1976), of High Street, Heywood, admitted arson with intent to endanger life.

At Bolton Crown Court he was sentenced to four years and four months in jail.

Byrom set fire to items belonging to his then girlfriend, including clothes outside his flat.

The fire quickly spread and smoke filled the apartment block, trapping many residents – including a mother and her six month old baby – inside.

A number of residents were treated for smoke inhalation following the incident.

Detective Constable Russ Clarke, of Rochdale CID, said: “This was a serious incident which jeopardised the safety of all other residents and could easily have had more severe consequences and this sentence reflects the consequences to those whose reckless actions endanger the lives of other people.

“A number of residents were alerted to the fire because they had functioning smoke alarms and this incident acts as important reminder that working smoke alarms within the home can save lives."