A man was sentenced to life imprisonment after setting his on flat on fire in an attempt to harm the Jewish family living above him in London, UK.
The Wood Green Crown Court sentenced Pitkin on September 6, after he pled guilty at a previous hearing to arson with intent to endanger life, four counts of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and three counts of having an offensive weapon in a public place, reports The Jerusalem Post.
The arson attack took place on March 20, 2024. Pitkin was injured during the fire, but was arrested while receiving medical treatment. Four others were hurt including a passerby. One member of the Jewish family above Pitkin suffered a fractured hip after jumping out of the window to escape the flames, and they were forced to drop their young baby from a second-story window to escape the flames. However, neither the police nor the media has commented on the health status of the baby.
During a search of Pitkin’s vehicle, officers found “a number of jerry cans filled with petrol, as well as four air weapons, three knives and two hammers.”
„My officers have worked for many months to investigate the motive for this incident and gather evidence to explain Pitkin’s actions. This incident was pre-planned, rather than spontaneous, with Pitkin purchasing jerry cans and petrol in the week prior to the incident, in addition to having previously acquired numerous air pistols and bladed weapons,“ said Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway, policing lead for Hackney and Tower Hamlets.
Conway said that they found out that Pitkin’s actions were linked to a housing dispute, adding that they were „able to evidence the fact that he expressed clear antisemitic sentiment on several occasions.”
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