Wrexham man given hospital order after flat arson incident

Kerry Evans, of Grove Road in Wrexham, appeared for sentencing at Mold Crown Court on Thursday.

The 28-year-old had admitted at a previous hearing one offence of arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered.

Ember-Jade Wong, prosecuting, told the court that on June 5, 2021, residents at Bell Court heard banging emanating from the defendant's first floor flat.

After 6.15am, a smoke alarm was heard and as one resident looked out of her kitchen window, she saw the defendant walking away from the block of flats.

A short while later, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service was called to the scene after it was realised fire and smoke was coming from the roof of the property, over Evans' flat.

The building was evacuated and residents who made their way out were met with the "terrifying" sight of billowing smoke.

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An asset management officer from Wales and West Housing, which owns and manages the flats, came to assess the damage afterwards.

"Extensive damage" had been caused to every room of the defendant's property, requiring repairs and a complete refurbishment.

Beyond that, damage had been caused to the two flats adjacent and five residents had to be moved to hotels for three nights.

Two of those people had to be temporarily rehoused whilst a programme of "extensive" works was carried out to repair the structural damage to the roof and other refurbishments.

The court heard that between the damage, expenses and other costs, the incident had incurred a total financial cost of "well over £100,000."

Evans, who has paranoid schizophrenia and substance misuse disorder, was picked up at A&E later that morning, where he was being violent.

He told officers he'd put all of his "stuff" together, including his sofa, and set it alight - "to get rid of the evidence."

The defendant was sectioned under the mental health act and could not be interviewed until several months later, when he claimed he did not not remember parts of the incident and that he was "unwell" at the time.

And the court heard this was not the first time he'd committed such an act.

In the previous instance of arson, as was the case in the 2021 incident, the offence was borne out of 'paranoid beliefs' that people were trying to 'kill' him.

Judge Timothy Petts confirmed to the defence that he was looking to impose a hospital order - potentially with a restriction order (meaning the defendant would be detained for psychiatric treatment).

Dr Kanapathippillai Karunakaran, the defendant's treating clinician at Coed Celyn rehabilitation unit in Wrexham, told the court Evans had shown signs of improvement in his mental health - until the court proceedings started.

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That had marked a "definite setback," he added - with the defendant beginning to misuse substances.

He added he and his colleagues had formed a good therapeutic relationship with the defendant, but that if the court imposed a more restrictive hospital order, he would have to move to a secure psychiatric unit at Glan Clwyd Hospital - as Coed Celyn is an 'open' rehabilitation centre.

Anna Pope, defending, told the court: "This defendant's culpability has been reduced by his impairment - he was suffering an acute psychotic episode.

"It's clear his mental health has substantially deteriorated.

"Five years earlier, there was a similar incident - I have to accept that."
Ms Pope said it had been hoped Evans could remain at his current treatment establishment, where he had built up a good relationship with staff.

"There has been some recent drug use," she conceded," but in fairness to him he has been open and honest with me and those he works with."

Judge Petts told the defendant: "You were suffering then and still suffer delusions about people trying to kill you - and the medical records show reference to you starting a fire five years or so ago under the influence of the same paranoid beliefs.

"You still need treatment and a hospital order is the best way.

"I accept you have built up relationships with the staff currently looking after you and any change of unit will be no doubt something you'd take time to adjust to.

"But the difficulties that may cause you in the short term are outweighed by the need to ensure public protection in the long term."

As such, the Judge imposed a hospital order with a restriction order, with Evans to be detained at the Abblett Unit at Glan Clwyd for treatment.

What happens to him in the future is to be decided on by a specialist tribunal, the Judge said, adding: "This order is not designed to punish you. You are in the grip of a severe illness and you need to be subject to the restriction order.

"It protects you and helps you to recover - and protects the public from what you could do otherwise."