Hackney arsonist jailed for life after baby thrown from window during blaze

A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after he set fire to his Hackney flat while his neighbours were in the building - leaving one family with no choice but to throw their baby from the burning home.

Five people, including a passerby, were injured during the fire at Ian Pitkin’s ground floor flat in Newick Road at around 12.45pm on March 20.

Neighbours were forced to jump from windows to escape and one resident desperately threw their baby down to waiting relatives during the fire.

The child was miraculously not injured.

Pitkin was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of six years and 17 days at Wood Green Crown Court on Friday, having previously pleaded guilty to several offences.

The 64-year-old pleaded guilty to a count of arson with intent to endanger life, four counts of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and three counts of having an offensive weapon in a public place.

He was arrested shortly after the incident while seeking medical attention for injuries that he sustained in the fire.

Officers found his car and discovered several jerry cans filled with petrol, as well as four air weapons, three knives and two hammers.

The court heard how the incident had been pre-planned and the jerry cans had been bought in the week before the fire.

Detectives believe the arson attack had been linked to a housing dispute and officers found evidence that Pitkin “expressed clear antisemitic sentiment on several occasions”.

During sentencing judge Daniel Fugallo ruled that the attack “was motivated by, and demonstrates, a hostility towards people of Jewish faith".

Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway, policing lead for Hackney and Tower Hamlets, said: "Pitkin’s actions endangered the lives of his neighbours, who were forced to flee their homes in fear for their lives.

“Several victims were forced to jump from their windows and a family even had to throw their baby down to waiting relatives below.“The damage to the building speaks for itself and it is remarkable that nobody was more seriously injured.

“However, the psychological impact was well evidenced through the victim impact statements submitted to court, with victims reporting hearing explosions as the fire took hold in the property below them.”

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