A suicidal Hastings man – locked-up on suspicion of setting his ex’s flat ablaze – was jailed today for twice flouting a court-imposed restraining order, once on the day of the fire.
Nicholas Bellhouse, 31, of Channel Way, Fairlight, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment at North London’s Wood Green Crown Court for continuing to text his ex and entering an exclusion zone.
He will be released immediately having already spent four months in custody charged with arson, with intent to endanger life, which was dropped on the day of the trial due to insufficient evidence.
“When the court tells you to do something you do it, you have been contemptuous towards the courts,” Judge Jeff Blackett told Bellhouse.
“If you do get in touch with your former partner again you will end up in prison again.”
Bellhouse pleaded guilty to breaching an indefinite restraining order on June 30 and July 1.
Haringey Magistrates’ Court imposed it on May 25 after the defendant was convicted of harassing his ex-girlfriend Rachel Kelly, 28, and he was also sentenced to four weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for twelve months.
Prosecutor Mr. Travers Sinanan told the court Bellhouse shared a flat in Muswell Hill, North London with Miss Kelly, but after they split he returned to his native East Sussex.
Soon afterwards she spotted him stalking her at busy commuter times at her local railway station and made a formal harassment complaint to police.
Bellhouse was prohibited by the magistrates from contacting Miss Kelly and banned from entering the N.10 postcode.
“On June 30 between 8pm and 10pm Miss Kelly received text messages from Bellhouse in which he said he was taking heroin and drinking whiskey and wanted to meet her.”
In the early hours of July 1 a blaze engulfed Miss Kelly’s second-floor flat (pictured) while it was occupied by friends Eve Pearson, 28, and Oliver Machin, 28.
“The fire was started in the bedroom of Miss Kelly and engulfed the apartment,” explained Mr. Sinanan. “They were overcome with fumes, but Miss Pearson was nudged by her pet dog and woke up.
“She suffered cuts to her hands and wrists while attempting to escape through a window.”
Firemen rushed to the blaze and entered the flat wearing breathing apparatus, rescuing the soot-covered woman and her friend who was sleeping on the sofa.
Miss Kelly was not in the flat at the time, but fifteen minutes before the fire she received more texts from Bellhouse, who police proved was in the area.
“The messages were suicidal in nature and Bellhouse was again insisting he wanted to see her and claimed he intended to take his own life,” added the prosecutor.
CCTV proved the defendant was in the N.10 exclusion zone when he was filmed making a cash point withdrawl.
Sadly Miss Pearson’s pet dog did not survive the fire.
Bellhouse was arrested a week later at St. Thomas’s Hospital, Lambeth, where he was being treated for slashing his wrists and charged with arson.
Mr. Sinanan recommended the Crown Prosecution Service drop the charge due to insufficient evidence and the fire brigade’s opinion the blaze was non-suspicious.
Electrical cables were a potential cause, however Miss Kelly remains convinced Bellhouse deliberately started the fire, the court was told.
The defendant was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment on each count to run consecutively and the restraining order remains in place.
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