I'll stand by arson-bid dad

JAILED . . . Dale Dolan

THE partner of a man who tried to burn the family home down while their children were upstairs has vowed to stand by him.

Dale Dolan (35), was jailed for three years after he pleaded guilty to attempting arson with the view to endanger life at the family home on Parkway, Chadderton, on December 14 last year.

After drinking with her brother, Dolan returned home at around 7pm and demanded that his partner, Sarah Slater, give him her phone but she refused, a hearing at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

Tension rose throughout the evening and when Sarah was upstairs she heard Dolan splashing what she thought to be water around the living room.

Her four children, three of whom are fathered by Dolan, were sleeping upstairs at the time.

When she went down the stairs she realised that Dolan was splashing petrol around the house. The court heard that Dolan said "I am going to burn that bitch".

He asked Sarah's brother for a light but he refused and as Sarah went to fetch the children out of the house, Dolan poured petrol over her.

When she managed to get them out, Dolan had disappeared.

Police and fire services attended and it was discovered there was a naked flame in the boiler which could have set the house ablaze.

Dolan was later discovered in the attic of the house while checks to ensure the property was safe and came out when requested. Sarah and the children were able to return 48-hours after the incident.

Dolan's defence argued that the incident had not been planned and once his partner had got out of the house with the children it was over. They also said that it was out of character and that Sarah, although terrified at the time, had decided to stay with him.

Judge Maurice Green said: "It is suggested to me that this isn't his normal behaviour. You pleaded guilty to a very serious offence of attempting to commit arson with the view of endangering life.

"You wanted her mobile phone and she wouldn't give it to you and clearly there had been some sort of build up of tension.

He said: "You pleaded guilty to this offence at the first opportunity. You didn't take the petrol to the premises, I accept this was a spur of the moment action.

"A letter said that this isn't the way you behave but she was terrified at the time and you must understand that. The fact is that this could have been and was a very dangerous situation but at the end of the day the only real harm done was to the house.

"Clearly only custody can be justified."