‘Manipulative’ man jailed for life after setting ex-partner’s house on fire while she slept

  1. Home
  2. Crime
Nicholas Martin mughsot

Nicholas Martin mughsot / Credit: GMP

A man has been jailed for life after he set his ex-partner’s house on fire while she was asleep.

Nicholas Martin, from Leicester, appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court yesterday (10 November) where he was sentenced to 30 years in prison after previously being found guilty of attempted murder and assault occasioning actual bodily harm at a trial back in September.

The 63-year-old was also made the subject of a life-long restraining order against the victim.

It comes after Martin, at around 5:10am on 22 October 2024, poured petrol through the letterbox of his ex-partner’s house and set it alight before leaving the area.

The victim was initially woken in the middle of the night after hearing her letterbox snapping closed and then heard a crackling sound which resembled a log burner.

Shortly after she realised her house was on fire, she proceeded to jump out of her first-floor bedroom window to safety, and although she survived the attack, she did suffer two broken ankles and a broken vertebrae in her back from the jump.

Very sadly though, the victim’s pet cat was killed in the fire.

Martin had been in a relationship with the woman since 2019, but became increasingly controlling over the years, and had been monitoring her movements by installing home cameras, prevented her from seeing family members, constantly criticising her, and even controlling what she could eat, wear, and watch on television.

At the time of the offence, Martin was on bail for a previous assault with conditions in place for him not to contact the victim and to reside in Leicester – but he left his bail address, rented a car, and drove to Worsley.

He booked into a hotel and waited until the middle of the night to execute his attack when he knew his ex-partner would be asleep.

Martin was arrested on 23 October 2024 at a hotel in the Lake District, where a can containing petrol was recovered in the hotel room wardrobe.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed he made no comment in his police interview and went on to plead ‘not guilty’ at court. Despite later admitting to causing the fire, he claimed he had no intention to kill the woman.

Read more:

“Martin undertook a campaign of abuse against his victim lasting a number of years,” explained Detective Constable Zoe Bellis, from GMP’s Salford CID following the sentencing.

“His last act nearly resulted in a woman’s death and I am thankful of [the] sentencing result putting this despicable individual behind bars and away from harming other victims.”

Featured Image – GMP