Court: Man jailed for home-made petrol bomb attack on Halifax care home

Bradford Crown Court heard today (Thursday) that at the time 30-year-old Safrez Ahmed threw two bottles of petrol at the office front door of the care home, the premises were home to 25 residents and a number of staff were also on duty.

Judge Jonathan Gibson told Ahmed: "What would have happened had the office door taken light and had there been a fire at the care home, of course, one dreads to think.”

Prosecutor Chloe Hudson said that Ahmed suspected his partner, who worked at the care home, was having a relationship with a male colleague.

On the evening before the arson attack in June last year, Ahmed had confronted his partner outside the care home and made a threat to kill the man.

When the police were contacted Ahmed left the area – but in the early hours he drove with an associate to the family home of the man in Leeds and, after disguising himself with a hoodie, he set about smashing a number of windows at the property.

The court heard that he caused damage to the windows and CCTV equipment totalling about £5,000 before driving back to Halifax to attack the care home.

Miss Hudson said Ahmed stopped off at a petrol station and it was just after 2am when he approached the home.

“In effect the defendant had manufactured two makeshift petrol bombs which he threw at the door of the care home intending that it would catch fire in some way,” she said.

The first petrol bomb bounced off the door and quickly went out but Ahmed returned and threw a second bottle.

The second bottle caught light and landed close to the door and a nearby fence.

Luckily there was only minor damage to the door and some scorch marks.

Ahmed, of Parkinson Lane, Halifax, was arrested a few days later but initially denied being involved in the attacks and claimed he didn’t even know who the man was.

Ahmed pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered, criminal damage in respect of the attack in the house in Leeds and a common assault on his then partner.

Barrister Gillian Batts said Ahmed had expressed remorse in a letter to the judge.

She explained Ahmed had been diagnosed with depression following the death of a close friend and was concerned his partner had started a relationship with a work colleague, even though she had denied that.

Miss Hudson said the police officers had spent a large amount of time on telecommunications and CCTV work to track down Ahmed and Judge Gibson commended the officers involved.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Abbas of Calderdale Safeguarding Team said: “Ahmed’s actions were reckless, extremely dangerous and put many innocent people’s lives at risk.

“Luckily, no one was injured as a result of his actions, but we know all too well the devastating impact arson can have.

“We hope this serves as a reminder that behaviour like this will not be tolerated."