Woman started care home fire

6:36pm Sunday 23rd November 2008

PARANOID schizophrenic Jane Ryan, who started a fire at a care home in the middle of the night, has been sent to a secure mental hospital.

Ryan, of The Gables, Bristol Road, Chippenham, used a cigarette lighter to torch curtains at the establishment while other residents and staff slept.

But after hearing how the 43-year-old paranoid schizophrenic had been chronically under treated for years, a judge imposed a hospital order on her.

He also said she would be subject to a restriction order which controlled when and how she could be released from hospital in the future.

Rachel Marshall, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that Ryan was a resident at the residential care home in Chippenham.

She said the establishment catered for 17 residents with mental health problems and learning difficulties, who were aged from 20 to 65.

Ryan, who had been diagnosed as schizophrenic, had been living there for about a year when the offence took place.

“In the early hours of August 4 she set fire to curtains in the staff room on the ground floor,” Miss Marshall said.

“She had been standing outside and leaned in through the window and, using a cigarette lighter, set fire to curtains and then ran off.”

When she was questioned by police she initially refused to answer questions but eventually admitted starting the fire.

Although she could not say why she did it, she told officers that she did not like living at the home.

Miss Marshall said about £3,000 worth of damage was caused.

Ryan admitted a charge of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

Mike Pulsford, defending, said that his client had no previous convictions and a history of not complying with medical programmes.

Dr Nicola Claxton, a forensic psychiatrist, told the court that she felt Ryan had both been chronically under treated and also failed to engage with services.

Passing sentence, Judge William Hart said the needs of the defendant and the public were best served by making the hospital order. Ryan will receive treatment at a medium secure unit.