A Newcastle man, Jamie Banks, set fire to his flat after being disturbed by noise from an alleged brothel, leading to his arrest and a prison sentence.
Newcastle: An arsonist set fire to his flat in Walker. Jamie Banks, 37, was disturbed by noise from an alleged brothel in his building.
On July 27, emergency services got calls about Banks damaging his Eastfield House flat. He even threatened to set fire to himself and his home.
Later that night, police learned he had set fire to his curtains. Luckily, he managed to put it out before they arrived, but he was arrested.
His lawyer said the damage was minor and that Banks was very upset. He claimed the noise drove him to madness, but it’s unclear if it was real or part of his mental health issues.
The judge noted Banks was going through a tough time. He believed other residents were making noise and possibly running a brothel.
In a moment of panic, Banks decided to start a fire in his own flat. He called emergency services to warn them of his intentions.
The judge pointed out that starting a fire in a residential building is extremely dangerous. Banks was reckless, risking the safety of others.
With a history of 16 previous convictions, Banks pleaded guilty to arson. He received a sentence of three years and two months in prison.
