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Care home worker Karen Pedley given 14 life sentences | Care home worker Karen Pedley given 14 life sentences |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A "fire-obsessed" care home worker who killed a 96-year-old resident by setting fire to her room has been given 14 life sentences. | A "fire-obsessed" care home worker who killed a 96-year-old resident by setting fire to her room has been given 14 life sentences. |
Karen Pedley, 43, from Carharrack, Cornwall, was found guilty of murder and 12 counts of arson at Truro Crown Court on Thursday. | Karen Pedley, 43, from Carharrack, Cornwall, was found guilty of murder and 12 counts of arson at Truro Crown Court on Thursday. |
The court had heard Pedley became "fascinated with fire" after saving her family from a burning house aged 10. | The court had heard Pedley became "fascinated with fire" after saving her family from a burning house aged 10. |
She will have to spend a minimum of 27 years in prison. | She will have to spend a minimum of 27 years in prison. |
More on the "fire obsessed" care worker, and other news | |
Gladys Rowe died in hospital from the effects of smoke inhalation following the fire in Rosewyn House, Truro, in 2008. | Gladys Rowe died in hospital from the effects of smoke inhalation following the fire in Rosewyn House, Truro, in 2008. |
'Fascination with fire' | 'Fascination with fire' |
As a girl, the court heard, Pedley lived in Bedfordshire with her family when she woke them in the night and saved them from a fire that gutted the house. | |
Prosecutor Nigel Lickley said she was rewarded for her actions with a trip on Concorde and he believed the incident in 1983 had caused her to develop a "fascination with fire". | Prosecutor Nigel Lickley said she was rewarded for her actions with a trip on Concorde and he believed the incident in 1983 had caused her to develop a "fascination with fire". |
'Turn back the clock' | |
He said police found a file of newspaper cuttings recalling the fire and the trip when they searched her home. | He said police found a file of newspaper cuttings recalling the fire and the trip when they searched her home. |
Defending, Simon Laws said Pedley might have been trying to turn the clock back to that "glorious day" in 1983 when aged 10 she saved her family from a fire. | |
Mr Laws said she never intended to kill Mrs Rowe, knew there was a working fire alarm, knew the midnight check on the residents was due and even tried to rescue the residents herself, but was driven back by the dense smoke. | |
Serial arsonist Pedley was also convicted of starting a series of fires between 2002 and 2010, including the one which killed Mrs Rowe. | |
Sentencing, Mr Justice Teare said: "It was totally remarkable that she continued to commit arson even after Gladys had lost her life". | |
As he handed her 14 life sentences, the judge said: "The public needs protection, which imprisonment for life can give". | |
Pedley was found not guilty of attempted murder, but admitted one further charge of arson, after she set fire to her prison cell. | Pedley was found not guilty of attempted murder, but admitted one further charge of arson, after she set fire to her prison cell. |
Speaking after the sentencing, Det Insp Ben Beckerleg said Pedley was a "dangerous lady, someone that has repeatedly put people in the local community at risk". | Speaking after the sentencing, Det Insp Ben Beckerleg said Pedley was a "dangerous lady, someone that has repeatedly put people in the local community at risk". |
The court heard a psychiatric report showed Pedley was of "low intelligence and has a personality disorder". | The court heard a psychiatric report showed Pedley was of "low intelligence and has a personality disorder". |