'You best get out' - Man jailed for flat fire and telling his terrified Clitheroe neighbours he had a bomb
A man who terrified his neighbours by setting fire to his flat and telling them he was making a bomb has been been jailed for 44 months.
Andrew Dewhurst was jailed at Burnley Crown Court on November 11 after pleading guilty to arson with intent to endanger life.
Lancashire Police were called at 7.29am on March 2 to Piccadilly Close in Clitheroe following reports of a disturbance at a single-occupancy property with a man making threats.
A short time later they received further report of a fire contained within the property.
Officers attended and saw 51-year-old Dewhurst behaving erratically by throwing items out of his flat window and making threats about a bomb he was making.
When officers attempted to engage with Dewhurst, he said to them: “You best get out,” and then referenced the fire.
Neighbouring properties were evacuated and police continued to try and engage with Dewhurst, but he refused to come out of the flat.
It was only when members of the fire service entered the flat that Dewhurst left the address.
He was then arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.
DC Katie Hunter, from Burnley CID, said: “Firstly, I would like to personally say thank you to the emergency services that initially attended the scene - the fire service and the initial uniform officers - who put themselves into an incredibly dangerous and life-threatening situation to save someone's life.
“Without their response and bravery, I am certain that the outcome of this incident would have been very different.
“I know Dewhurst’s behaviour was particularly concerning to his neighbours, and I welcome the sentence handed down to him which will give the local community some much-needed respite.”