Vengeful husband burns down home

A VENGEFUL husband burned down the marital home after his wife told him she wanted a divorce, a court heard.

Former garage boss Philip Evans set fire to the £180,000 bungalow and left a voice message for his estranged wife saying: “Morning bitch, I have torched the house. You will have nothing.”

He then drove 285 miles to a known suicide spot in Wales where he threatened to set his car ablaze and jump off a bridge before he was arrested.

Wheelchair-bound Evans (64), has been jailed for five years after appearing by videolink from Doncaster Prison.

He admitted common arson, assaulting his 62-year-old second wife Susan and breaching a non-molestation order.

The blaze, on June 8 this year, completely gutted the couple's bungalow on a quiet cul-de-sac in Springfield Close, Woodsetts.

Evans, who married his wife in September 2002, had a reputation for being “volatile” but had never shown violence towards Susan until March this year when she began divorce proceedings, the court heard.

They continued to live together but while they were watching television in May, Evans grabbed her by the throat and shouted “Die.”

Prosecutor Ms Bev Tait told Sheffield Crown Court: “He said he would torch the house, she would have nothing and he would kill the cat. She went to a neighbour’s house and rang the police.”