WIFE WHO ORCHESTRATED PETROL BOMB PLOT AGAINST MOTHER-IN-LAW IS JAILED

A wife has been jailed for a petrol bomb plot against her mother-in-law for saying she ‘wasn’t good enough’ to marry her son.

Mother-in-law Christina Place, 54, found her car ablaze after it was petrol-bombed outside her home in the revenge attack.

A court heard daughter-in-law Alisha Anwar, 29, conspired with a friend to commit arson to blow up the car ‘for money’.

A judge was told Mrs Place made it clear that she did not like Anwar and that she ‘wasn’t good enough’ for her son - leading to issues between the pair.

Police discovered Anwar had asked another couple called Luke Williams and his partner if they would ‘blow up a car’ for money.

Williams agreed without his girlfriend knowing - and in June 2022 Mrs Place was in her home in Wrexham, North Wales, when she saw her car ablaze.

One witness described the car ‘exploding’ and the flames had spread to two more vehicles by the time firefighters arrived.

One of the neighbouring homes had to be evacuated - and guttering and a window on another property stared to melt.

Mrs Place’s car was damaged beyond repair - and a glass bottle of petrol was found under the vehicle.

Williams’ girlfriend realised what the pair had done and informed police. CCTV footage was found of Williams filling up a petrol can at a garage the day before the arson attack.

He was seen with a carrier bag in the residential area the fire took place - and walking home shortly after.

Gareth Bellis, prosecuting, said: ‘Williams was arrested and an analysis of his phone showed he’d been searching for “arson punishment UK”.’

A £150 payment transferred from Anwar days before the incident was found on his financial records - referenced as ‘birthday money’.

Anwar admitted to conspiring to commit arson at Mold Crown Court.

Mark Connor, defending, told the court: ‘She made the request - but I suspect she was not involved in the detail of carrying it out.

‘It was a revenge offence. For a long time, she was not able to come to terms with what she had done, such was her fear of the consequences despite the weight of evidence against her.

‘But she eventually made the right decision. She is now able to make proper and rational decisions.’

Mr Connor said probation officers who interviewed Anwar described her as a very vulnerable young woman.

He added: ‘She is in a much better place now. She has been a credit to society, working hard and achieving. She is genuinely remorseful.’

But sentencing her, Judge Niclas Parry told Anwar: ‘The inherent dangerousness makes any arson a very serious offence.

‘The courts can’t ignore the need to reflect in sentences the grave consequences that can flow from fires.

‘The facts of this case are close to being staggering. This was all about revenge and spite in a domestic context.

‘You were determined to seek vengeance on your mother-in-law and offered to pay your co-defendant £150 to petrol-bomb or blow it up.

‘You orchestrated this conspiracy, and you’re as responsible for the acts of each other in a conspiracy as your own.’

Anwar, of Pentre Maelor, Wrexham, was jailed for 16 months and given a two-year restraining order to protect her mother-in-law.

Williams, of Wrexham, also admitted conspiracy to cause arson and will be sentenced next week.

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2024-07-04T12:27:46Z dg43tfdfdgfd