Judge commends cop for his courage as he jails firestarter for four years.
Judge commends cop for his courage as he jails firestarter for four years.
A cop in England has been commended by a judge after saving an arsonist from a burning building.
Kent Police Sgt. James Cattermole, who carried out the rescue, saved the arsonist from a burning house in Sellindge, near Folkestone, in May.
Cattermole was accompanied by Police Constable Louis Southon, and together they managed to drag arsonist Christopher Pain to safety.
Pain admitted to arson and was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on July 16 to four years in prison plus two years on license, a restricted release under which he could be recalled to prison, similar to parole in the U.S.
Kent Police said that in his sentencing remarks, Judge Simon James “commended Sergeant Cattermole’s quick-thinking and bravery in getting Pain out of the building.”
The two officers were called to the scene at around 12:40 a.m. on May 3 following reports that Pain may have had a knife, and was threatening to hurt himself.
The property was locked and officers attempted to talk to Pain through a window. Pain refused to engage with the officers and shouted abusively at them before starting a fire in the living room.
“Sergeant Cattermole then smashed a window, climbed through and dragged Pain to the building’s back door, which was locked,” the police said. “As Pain continued to resist help, Sergeant Cattermole tried to get them both out of the front door, which had been barricaded with cardboard boxes.”
As the building filled with smoke, PC Southon smashed window on the back door and the two officers managed to get Pain out of the blazing building.
Police backup teams and the Kent Fire and Rescue Service arrived on the scene and evacuated neighboring properties.
The fire caused extensive damage to the property, but no one was seriously injured.
“Every day, police officers are the first at the scene of unpredictable and dangerous incidents,” chief inspector Alice Ames said. “Their first thought is always to maintain the safety of the public and preserve life.”
“The response of the two officers who attended this call, which I believe saved the offender’s life, is yet another example of the bravery and professionalism so often shown by our team.”
“I hope the jail sentence handed down at court gives Christopher Pain a chance to reflect on his actions and, upon his release, he will no longer endanger himself, others or members of the emergency services.”
It was not revealed who owned the property or what the man that started the fire was doing there, and it was also not revealed what his motive was for causing the blaze.
Edited by Katie Taranto and Kristen Butler
