A HUSBAND burned down his wife’s café because he thought she was having an affair.
Butcher Paul Armstrong’s customers made the claims about his estranged missus Pei, a court heard.
BNPSPaul Armstrong burned down his wife Pei’s café because he thought she was having an affair[/caption]
BNPSPaul helped set up Foodelicious with £16,000[/caption]
CCTV showed him pouring accelerant over the floor of Foodelicious, which he had paid £16,000 to set up.
Last July’s blaze forced an upstairs tenant to flee.
Days earlier, Armstrong let himself into the café with a spare key, waited for Pei, 45, then chased her with an 8in knife.
She fled and called cops.
Bournemouth crown court was told he also took her passport and £7,000 so she could not visit family in Malaysia.
Holly Fagan, prosecuting, said: “The relationship between the defendant and the complainant was good until Pei opened a café and she says this is when it started to worsen.
“She mentioned before Christmas (2023) that she wanted to go back to Malaysia because she had not been back for eight years and she prepared to leave in February.
“The defendant was concerned that she was not going to come back.
“She hid the documents and cash under her son’s mattress. There was also £4,000 in the house safe, which Mr Armstrong knew about.
“On January 30 he sent her a photo showing that he was in possession of her passport, other licences and some cash. She asked her to return them but he refused.
“He later returned the documents undamaged with £1,500 cash and she received a further £2,000 on July 16 via a bank transfer. However there is still £3,500 outstanding.”
Armstrong pleaded guilty to arson, burglary, stalking, possession of a bladed article and theft.
He was jailed for three years and nine months.
BNPSPaul outside his butchers shop[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
