News

JURY ACQUITS MAN OF THREAT TO BURN DOWN TOWN HOSTEL

October 26, 2005

Gerry Dorrell, of Bullbrook Drive, had been accused of barging into the block of flats carrying a petrol can and lighter fuel.

His former girlfriend, Nicola Pitkin, and 10-month-old son were living in the hostel at the time and the couple had rowed about access to the baby earlier in the day, the jury at Reading Crown Court heard.

Miss Pitkin and two of her friends said Dorrell was extremely angry and shouting: "I'm going to burn the place down."

However, the 22-year-old walked free from court on Friday last week after a jury returned its verdict of not guilty after less than three-and-a-half hours' deliberation.

The hostel, in Bracken Court, was owned by the Bracknell Housing Association and is run by Christian charity PACT - Parents and Children Together.

It provides accommodation for homeless young mothers and pregnant women who are young or vulnerable.

Deborah Minett, prosecuting, had earlier told the jury there were dozens of frightened young mothers in the building with their children at the time.

She said: "It was a mother and baby hostel, and a number of people were living there when this happened on December 16 last year.

"This is a young man who, by his own admission, gets rather angry when he gets wound up.

"On this day he was particularly angry as he was having a problem with his girlfriend who was living in the hostel with their son.

"He went to the hostel to see his girlfriend Nicola Pitkin but he got rather angry and ended up being asked to leave by duty manager Susan Jones.

"He went back later to get his hat which he left there.

"But the second time he went back with a fuel can and lighter fuel.

"Mr Dorrell was in an extremely distressed state. He forced his way through the door. He was shouting and threatening to burn the place down."

Miss Pitkin had been in a relationship with Dorrell for three years before they broke up last October - their son was born in March last year.

During the course of the trial Miss Pitkin denied conspiring with her friends to make up the allegation.

"He did threaten to burn the place down," she alleged.

The young mother told the jury she saw a petrol can and cigarette lighter outside the building after police arrived but detectives only recovered the can and a can of lighter fuel.

Dorrell claimed he had just bought the petrol at a garage to put into his motorbike at home.

He denied threatening to destroy or damage property and having an article with intent to the destroy property.