A jilted boyfriend denied starting a fire at his ex-partner’s Tuebrook home which killed her dog.
Danny Rowan, 34, was arrested after an incident at Jodie Arnold’s house in July Road in November last year.
Miss Arnold and her three children were not at home, but her Staffordshire bull terrier Naz died of smoke inhalation.
Prosecutors say “jealous” Rowan, who also lives in July Road, was angry when the couple split up.
They say he let himself into her home with his key on November 5 and assaulted her.
Rowan is alleged to have “bombarded” her with text messages over the next two days, before torching the property at around 7.30am on November 8.
He denies assault and arson reckless as to whether life was endangered at Liverpool Crown Court .
Rowan accepts having a key to the property, but denies going into her house on either occasion.
He told police a man came up to him that morning and said he could smell burning.
Scene of a fire in Tuebrook, believed to have been deliberate. A dog died in the fire at the home of a woman and her three children.
Officers asked him why he did not stop, but Rowan said he was on his way to work.
Lee Bonner, prosecuting, said Rowan knew where the fire was, because he later sent Miss Arnold a text, which read: “Some random fella stopped me this morning saying your house smelt of burning. Is everything okay?”
Police asked him why he did not phone the emergency services or go to the house to alert or rescue her, but he said it was nothing to do with him.
Rowan was due in work at a catering company – around three miles away – at 7.30am. CCTV footage showed he arrived at 7.39am.
A co-worker said Rowan also told her he had been flagged down by the man.
She said he told her he could see the home’s windows were black.
However, Rowan told the jury that he didn’t see the home’s windows were black, and repeated that the blaze was nothing to do with him.
Lloyd Morgan, defending, accepted his client had harrassed an ex-girlfriend in 2010, but said he did not set fire to her house or attack her.
The jury previously heard how Miss Arnold and Rowan “scuffled” in an earlier argument on August 1.
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Rowan smashed her front window and received a police caution for the offence.
Mr Morgan said: “There is a quantum leap between throwing a crate in anger at a window and going in and setting fires.
“The texts are appalling. They probably show the sign of somebody who was taking the break-up rather badly.
“You might have come to the conclusion that Danny Rowan is an unpleasant character.
“But where is the evidence from these other incidents that suggests he is capable of going in and starting fires?”
(Proceeding)
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/