Son tried to set fire to his parents

5:41pm Monday 12th May 2008

A JUDGE has delayed passing sentence on a man who set fire to the family home while his parents slept.

Lawrie Osbourne, who has mental health problems, started the blaze which destroyed the timber-framed bungalow at Littleworth, Pewsey, in October last year.

Now the 27-year-old could be detained in a secure hospital until he is deemed safe to be released back into society.

Osbourne's parents, Graham and Jennifer, were asleep when they were woken by their bedroom door opening at about 5am and their son standing there.

He shut the door and they went back to sleep but were woken by the fire.

As they fled the house they were confronted by their son standing calmly outside.

His mother asked if he had called the fire brigade to which he replied No, should I?' before dialling 999 on his mobile.

A jury at Swindon Crown Court heard Osbourne, one of the couple's two sons, had a history of mental health problems.

He had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act twice before.

Osbourne denied starting the fire and stood trial charged with arson with intent to endanger life and arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

Judge Douglas Field said that were it not for the mental health problems he would jail Osbourne for public protection, meaning he would effectively pass a life sentence.

However, he said the prisons had enough problems with people suffering from psychiatric problems so he wanted to pass a hospital order.

He adjourned the case, when a psychiatrist is expected to attend the hearing. Osbourne was remanded to a secure unit near Bristol.