Arsonist, 39, who poured two jerry cans of petrol onto quilt propped against a backdoor as two women and four children slept inside is jailed

• Andrew Potter targeted the home in Latchford, Cheshire, after an argument
• He was jailed for eight years at Cheshire Crown Court after guilty plea 

An arsonist who tried to set a house on fire as two women and four children slept inside has been jailed for eight years.

Andrew Potter, 39, set the rear kitchen door on fire at the home in Latchford, near Warrington, Cheshire, by emptying two jerry cans full of petrol onto a quilt and setting it alight. 

Potter targeted the family home in the early hours of September 13 after he had been embroiled in a row with one of the women the day before. 

She was asleep inside with her sister and four children at the time. But the siblings noticed the door was on fire and ran upstairs. 

They then dangled the shower hose out of the bedroom window and sprayed water over the flames to extinguish the blaze before calling emergency services.  

Arsonist Andrew Potter, 39, was jailed for eight years after he tried to set a house on fire while two women and four children slept inside  

Potter set the rear kitchen door on fire at the Latchford family home in Cheshire by emptying two jerry cans full of petrol onto a quilt and setting it alight

Potter, of Thelwall New Road, Warrington, was caught by police after being identified on CCTV. 

He appeared at Cheshire Crown Court on November 28 and was jailed for eight years after he had earlier pleaded guilty to arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered. 

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Neil Mooney, of Warrington Local Policing Unit, said: ‘The repercussions of what may have happened in this case are quite simply unthinkable. 

‘Potter was well aware that the victim and her young children were inside the house, and he put their lives at risk.

‘Thankfully, he was unsuccessful in his attempt to set fire to the property, and no one sustained any injuries. 

‘I would like to thank the courts for putting Potter behind bars, facing the consequences of his actions.’

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