Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

A shocked woman has revealed she is too distressed to return to the home where she had lived for over 30 years after an arsonist torched the property.

Sheffield Crown Court heard on December 23 how arsonist Megan Bramhall, aged 33, of Calladine Way, at Swinton, near Rotherham, set fire to a sofa and the blaze spread to two properties on Calladine Way including one where a woman had lived for 36 years.

Prosecuting barrister Ian West said the complainant was woken by a neighbour and managed to escape from her home as it went up in flames.

Mr West added: “She left her ‘house’ and saw the defendant on the pavement upset and she was shouting and hitting herself over the head and it was known she suffered with her mental health.”

Pictured is Megan Bramhall, aged 33, of Calladine Way, at Swinton, near Rotherham, who was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to 30 months of custody after she admitted committing arson being reckless as to whether anyone would be endangered.

The complainant’s property was damaged beyond repair, according to Mr West, in June, 2022.

Mr West added: “The fire service was present and saw the defendant rolling around on the floor hitting herself on the back of her head and laughing at everyone.”

He confirmed the fire had spread to two properties from a sofa outside which had been set alight and both homes had been rendered uninhabitable.

Bramhall, who is of previous good character, pleaded guilty to committing arson as to be reckless as to whether anyone would be endangered.

Defence barrister Dermot Hughes said Bramhall has had personal difficulties and she fell into a downward spiral but she hopes to resume her career as a nurse.

Mr Hughes added that Bramhall is genuinely remorseful and she is now free of the drugs that were troubling her and she wants to take advantage of any available help.

Judge Michael Slater, who sentenced Bramhall to 30 months of custody, told her: “The result of you starting the fire to the sofa in a reckless fashion was that two homes were rendered uninhabitable including a ‘house’ where the complainant had lived for some 36 years.

"Even if it had been habitable, she said she would not feel able to live there in any event. The degree of disruption to the lives of other people and the danger there too is what makes this offence so serious.”

He added: “The offence is so serious that the only appropriate sentence is one of immediate custody.”

Sheffield Crown Court: Shocked woman's 36-year home was torched by an arsonist