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| Aiden Elmore jailed over Willenhall flat fire murder | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man who killed a pensioner when he set fire to a block of flats has been jailed for at least 21 years. | A man who killed a pensioner when he set fire to a block of flats has been jailed for at least 21 years. |
| Aiden Elmore set fire to wheelie bins he had used to barricade the exit of the flats in Willenhall in the West Midlands. | |
| Victor Moore, 68, died after becoming trapped in the foyer. | Victor Moore, 68, died after becoming trapped in the foyer. |
| Elmore, 20, was convicted of murder and two counts of arson with intent to endanger life following a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court last week. | Elmore, 20, was convicted of murder and two counts of arson with intent to endanger life following a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court last week. |
| Judge John Warner said Elmore had created a scene of "fear and panic" in which people were heard screaming and were forced to escape through windows of the Southey Close flats. | |
| 'Horrific fire' | 'Horrific fire' |
| Sentencing him to life with a minimum tariff of 21 years, the judge said: "Quite what your motive was for what you did remains a mystery to me. | Sentencing him to life with a minimum tariff of 21 years, the judge said: "Quite what your motive was for what you did remains a mystery to me. |
| "Only you know what your thinking was and you have not yet chosen to say. | "Only you know what your thinking was and you have not yet chosen to say. |
| "It was purely a matter of chance that Mr Moore was the only person to lose his life in that horrific fire." | "It was purely a matter of chance that Mr Moore was the only person to lose his life in that horrific fire." |
| The court heard Elmore, from Essington Road in Willenhall, was on bail at the time of the arson, on 8 October. | The court heard Elmore, from Essington Road in Willenhall, was on bail at the time of the arson, on 8 October. |
| As well as the flat fire, he started two garden fires in a nearby street and another blaze at the home of his ex-partner's mother on the same night. | As well as the flat fire, he started two garden fires in a nearby street and another blaze at the home of his ex-partner's mother on the same night. |
| Elmore had been drinking and taking drugs after splitting up with his girlfriend, the court heard. | Elmore had been drinking and taking drugs after splitting up with his girlfriend, the court heard. |
| Fifty people were evacuated from the flat fire. Some jumped to safety from windows, including one woman who broke her ankle. | Fifty people were evacuated from the flat fire. Some jumped to safety from windows, including one woman who broke her ankle. |
| In a victim impact statement read to the court, an unnamed relative of Mr Moore said: "There are no words that will describe how my family feel and he did not deserve to die in the way that he died." | In a victim impact statement read to the court, an unnamed relative of Mr Moore said: "There are no words that will describe how my family feel and he did not deserve to die in the way that he died." |
| Judge Warner commended the bravery of two gas engineers, a police officer and a member of the public who attended the scene. | Judge Warner commended the bravery of two gas engineers, a police officer and a member of the public who attended the scene. |
| "They went there in the course of their employment or they went there in a public-spirited effort to assist," he said. | "They went there in the course of their employment or they went there in a public-spirited effort to assist," he said. |
| "On behalf of the community they deserve commendation for their actions that night." | "On behalf of the community they deserve commendation for their actions that night." |