Man jailed for more than four years for petrol bomb attack on Deeping St James family home

A man who put the lives of a young mother and her two children at risk when he threw a petrol bomb at his neighbour's home while they were asleep was today (Friday) jailed for four years and one month.

Ryan Miller, 37, will also have to serve an extended licence period of three years on his release from custody after a judge decided he was a dangerous offender.

Miller admitted starting a fire at the rear of the property in Thackers Way, Deeping St James, after being "rebuffed" by the woman three days earlier.

Lincoln Crown Court heard the mother was woken by a "bang" at 1am and saw flames when she looked out of the rear bedroom where she was sleeping with her two young children, aged 3 and 6.

Denney Lau, prosecuting, said: "She immediately gathered her children and took them out the front door.

"When she returned to the property she saw a smashed bottle with a sock inside."

Another neighbour rang the fire brigade after he saw flames rising above his six feet high wall. He also spoke to Miller at the scene and described his speech as "slurred."

Miller denied the arson attack during his police interview but forensic tests on the bottle matched his DNA and showed petrol had been used as an accelerant.

He later pleaded guilty to a single charge of arson being reckless to endanger life on October 16 2023.

Barnaby Shaw, mitigating, said Miller suffered from an ongoing brain injury as a result of a traffic collision in 2021 and argued prison would only make his psychiatric state worse.

Mr Shaw told the court: "This occurred some 18 months ago, while I can't say there have been no problems, there has been no escalation.

"When he is not drinking he is a man full of ideas, aspirations, hope and humour. He wants to work and set up his own landscape gardening business."

Passing sentence Judge James House KC told Miller that he manufactured a Molotov cocktail and while drunk threw it at the rear of his neighbour's home.

"It is fortunate she woke up," Judge House said. "She raised her children, got her dog and left."

"There were two people in the house, two of whom were young children," Judge House added.

"It was luck this was not a far greater tragedy."

A restraining order was also made which prevents Miller from contacting the victim and her family.