A psychotic man set fire to a Middlesbrough police station, fueled by homelessness and a desire to be arrested.
The 33-year-old started a fire. A police officer saw the flames and used an extinguisher to put it out.
The court heard that the incident happened early on August 31st. Bishop sat near the wall, waiting because he wanted to be arrested.
The prosecutor, Deborah Smithies, said the officer saw the fire. He stopped his car and acted quickly.
Bishop told police he had nowhere to live and that the fire was below a security camera. The camera recorded him adding to the fire.
Smithies said Bishop had many prior offenses, including a past attack on a police station in 2023.
Bishop admitted to arson, acknowledging the risk to life. A mental health evaluation took place to assess his mental state.
Bishop’s lawyer, Paul Green, said Bishop had psychosis during the fire. He explained that Bishop needed to get arrested.
Green said the CCTV footage showed Bishop’s state, and it was not a planned attack to damage the station. He was in a tough situation.
Judge Richard Bennett sentenced Bishop to 16 months in prison. The judge attributed the actions to drug and alcohol abuse.
The judge described Bishop’s actions as collecting items, setting them on fire, and adding more fuel to the fire.
Superintendent Marc Anderson spoke, calling it a reckless act. He emphasized that the police station should be a safe place where people seek help and officers should feel safe at work. He approved of Bishop’s sentence.