Burning down the house

A man whose wife had asked him for a divorce took drastic measures to ensure that she wouldn't get their house - by setting it on fire.

Builder Gary Hooley is alleged to have burned down the £350,000 property following a row with his 49-year-old wife Michelle.

Sheffield Crown Court heard yesterday (Tuesday, November 20th), that the couple from Barnsley, South Yorkshire had argued at a party on the night of the blaze, during which Mr Hooley allegedly told his spouse that he would not carry her handbag while she was dancing before leaving at around 2am and saying: "I'm out of here. I'm going to have you brick by brick."

The fire is thought to have started at approximately 3am. Prosecutor Iain Hillis said: "He may have realised that his marriage was over and he wanted to destroy the house."

No one was in the house at the home of the fire but the couple's two pet dogs had to be rescued. Mr Hooley, 56, was found by police sleeping nearby in his van.

He denies arson.

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