Jury fail to reach verdict on arsonist (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Jury fail to reach verdict on arsonist

2:26pm Thursday 1st March 2007 in Swindon By Gazette Reporter

A jury has failed to reach a verdict on whether an arsonist intended to endanger the life of a love rival when he started two fires at his home.

The panel of nine men and three women could not decide whether 23-year-old Sean Jakubowski was guilty or not of the serious charge following a three-day trial.

The Crown Prosecution Service will now have to decide whether they want a retrial on the matter.

Jakubowski, who had already admitted three counts of straight arson, was however convicted of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

He was accused of pouring petrol over the front and back doors of the house in Wharf Road, Wroughton, shortly after 5am on Tuesday, December 6, 2005.

Less than an hour before that blaze he had torched the cars of his former girlfriend and her mum on Swindon Road.

Jakubowski was upset because after splitting up with him former girlfriend Claire Heavens, she had started seeing old flame Richard Jones.

He said he was "immensely sorry and very remorseful" for setting light to the vehicles on the driveways at the former friend's homes.

He told the court: "I deeply regret doing it", saying he had been drinking, his parents were splitting up and he had just had a row with his father.

But he insisted he had not intended to endanger anyone's life in the fire-raising spree in the middle of the night.

Jakubowski, of Langton Park, Wroughton, has always denied a charge of arson with intent to endanger life.

The prosecution were given a week to decide whether they want to seek a retrial.