A MAN who burnt his girlfriend’s Lydney house down while ’stupefied’ by drink and drugs has been jailed for 13 months at Gloucester Crown Court.
Charles Buckmaster, 30, of High Street, Brierley, told police the devastating fire had started when he put a ’spliff’ into a plastic container by his girlfriend Yasmin Lancaster’s bed.
But his memory of events was so poor because of drink and drugs that he had very little idea of exactly what happened, the court was told.
Buckmaster pleaded guilty to arson at Ms Lancaster’s rented one bedroom house in Park Court, Bathurst Road, Lydney, on September 14 last year.
The court was told that police officers saw Buckmaster running away from the blaze and stopped him and arrested him.
He told them: "I left a spliff on the side. That’s how the fire started. I tried to put it out with water."
The prosecutor said that Buckmaster had smelt strongly of smoke and the fire had singed his eyebrows and forehead.
The damage to the house, owned by Deborah Theobald, was estimated at more than £50,000. Ms Lancaster also lost £1,800 worth of her belongings in the blaze.
David Leathley, defending, said Buckmaster realised he cannot rely on his self-induced intoxication as a defence.
“He was under the influence not just of alcohol but also diazepam,” he said.
“However, this act was subconscious stupidity.”
Judge Michael Cullum told Buckmaster that ’with some regret’ he felt there had to be an immediate jail term of 13 months.
PIC CAPTION: JAILED: Charles Buckmaster.