A woman identified as Stacey Hinks, 34, has been sentenced to four years and ten months in prison for deliberately setting her ex-boyfriend’s house on fire in Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, an act that destroyed three homes and left several residents homeless.
The incident occurred on the evening of May 15, 2024, at Springfield Grove. According to reports from Yorkshire Live, Hinks intentionally set her ex-partner’s house ablaze before calling him to inform him of the fire. At first, the victim doubted her claim, only to later receive frantic phone calls from relatives and friends who had heard about the blaze.
By the time emergency services arrived, the fire had completely consumed his property, spreading rapidly to neighboring houses. The victim lost all his possessions, including irreplaceable sentimental items, and was left with nothing but the clothes he was wearing that night. Two adjoining homes also suffered catastrophic damage, displacing their occupants.
Doorbell camera footage captured the heroic efforts of neighbors who rushed to alert those inside the burning buildings. An 89-year-old woman, one of the affected residents, was rescued after being warned in time to flee. She later described how she lost her home of 27 years and cherished belongings from her late husband, expressing deep emotional trauma caused by the incident.
Another neighbor, who had lived in her home since 2009, recounted watching the flames engulf her property through her security cameras. She revealed that she lost all her possessions, including mementos of her late husband and son, saying she felt “devastated and heartbroken” by the fire.
Police arrested Hinks two days after the incident. During interrogation, she declined to comment, but investigators gathered enough evidence to charge her with arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered. She later pleaded guilty at York Crown Court, where she was sentenced to four years and ten months in prison.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Karen Everitt of North Yorkshire Police, who led the investigation, described Hinks’ actions as “selfish and destructive,” adding that her crime had a lasting emotional toll on innocent people.
“Hinks devastated the lives of three innocent residents. Her ex-partner and his neighbors lost everything their homes, belongings, and precious memories. The emotional impact has been immense,” she said. “Thanks to the quick actions of local residents, an elderly woman was safely evacuated. Had things been different, this could have ended in even greater tragedy.”
The affected residents are still in the process of rebuilding their lives, while authorities continue to stress the importance of emotional and housing support for victims of arson and other violent crimes.
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