South Tyneside 'brute' jailed after £20k 'revenge' blaze at ex-girlfriend's home

A brute who started a £20,000 "revenge" blaze at his girlfriend's home when she dumped him has been put behind bars. Ryan Stephen had been drinking all night at the woman's flat in October 2021 when an argument broke out and she told him he had to leave. Newcastle Crown Court heard the victim was "ragged around" by Stephen, who pulled her hair and punched her and he threw a wax burner at an internal glass door which caused damage. The court head the victim was "fearful for her own safety" and so left her home, with Stephen still inside. Prosecutor Sam Faulks told the court: "He left but not before he set fire to the bedroom."

The victim said in a statement she lost the "thousands" of pounds she had put into the flat to make it a "nice home" but also lost all of her clothes as well as irreplaceable items. She said: "My mam passed away and there were items from her in the flat which are gone forever. "Ryan has ruined all this for me." She added: "Recently there was a fire in my area and I was panicking and having flashbacks. Even though I didn't see my flat on fire I had dreams about it being on fire. "I am shocked he would do that because I was going to leave him." Mr Faulks told the court: "The Crown would say this is a form of revenge attack." The court heard £20,000 in damage was caused by the blaze and the landlord was able to recover only around half of that sum through insurance. Stephen, 28, of Hexham Avenue, Hebburn, South Tyneside, denied arson, common assault and criminal damage but was convicted by a jury after a trial. Judge Tim Gittins sentenced Stephen to 30 months with a ten year restraining order to protect the victim. Judge Gittins said the Stephen started the fire recklessly and on impulse but added that the flat was "gutted" told him: "It was a selfish and thoughtless act. "You were angry about you being told you were going to have to leave." Judge Gittins added: "She was terrified she had lost her cat as well and she has had to effectively start again with the clothes she was standing up in." The court heard Stephen has mental health issues and confessed he had been using intoxicants at the time. Shaun Routledge, defending, said Stephen has support and added: "He doesn't accept responsibility. "He has not been in any trouble for a number of years, since the offence was committed."