Violent intruder forced his way into Calderdale mum’s home and tried to start fire with family inside

A judge said 34-year-old James Marriott was “addled” on alcohol and cocaine when he turned up at the innocent family’s home in the dead of night and launched his unjustified attack on them.

Bradford Crown Court heard today (Tuesday, August 1) how Marriott – who had previous convictions for offences of violence – had been banging and shouting outside. When he was told to go away, he kicked in the door.

Marriott, who has suffered with mental health issues, claimed to have been suffering some kind of “breakdown” at the time of the incident last November, but the court heard that the terrified mum and her three children had to barricade themselves in a bedroom.

Judge Jonathan Rose said the mum and her teenage son bravely held the bedroom door to keep Marriott out and all of them were terrified about what he intended to do.

Initially Marriott said he wouldn’t hurt them but he then made a threat to burn the house down.

Prosecutor Alex Menary said as the mum was contacting the police, Marriott went back downstairs and lit a gas hob in the kitchen before putting a bin on top.

The bin had started to melt but fortunately the mum came down and was able to throw it outside.

Marriott, of Tile Terrace, Rastrick, was detained nearby but continued to make vile threats to the officer who arrested him.

In her victim impact statement, the mum said the family had been forced to move house following the attack last year.

“The events of that night continue to haunt me even now,” she said.

She said she suffered flashbacks and all her children were terrified.

Her teenage son said in his statement that Marriott had been “raging angry” at the time and he feared he would kill them.

Marriott pleaded guilty to charges of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered and affray.

His barrister, Andrew Stranex, said his client apologised with real sincerity to all the people who were affected by his offending that night.

He said his client had explained that he was suffering some sort of breakdown at the time and he regretted deeply what he had done.

Mr Stranex said Marriott was now a more stable person since being remanded in custody and was engaging with those who could assist him with his issues relating to mental health and anger management.

“He is desperately sorry for the impact his offending had that night,” said Mr Stranex.

Judge Rose said Marriott had been addled with drugs and alcohol when he attacked the family in the dead of night at a home where they were entitled to feel safe.

He said the incident had had long lasting consequences for the family including having to move house.

In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Rose also imposed an indefinite restraining order which bans Marriott from contacting the complainant and her family and prohibits him from going within a mile of any address he knows she is living at.