Bestwood: Arsonist jailed after setting fire to his own flat
A man who set fire to his own flat and then fled has been jailed.
Keenan Savage, 22, started the blaze in the second-floor flat in Augustine Gardens, Bestwood, Nottingham on the evening of 8 November 2023 and left without alerting his neighbours.
He called the police three days later claiming he had returned to find his flat gutted by fire but was not actually there at the time of the call.
He was jailed for two-and-a-half years at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday.
Nottinghamshire Police said CCTV footage showed Savage arriving at the flat on the night of the fire before departing about eight minutes later.
The footage showed a smoke alarm from a neighbouring property ringing four minutes later.
Officers were called to the scene by the fire service at about 19:25 GMT.
The fire was brought under control with no injuries but police said it could have had "catastrophic consequences".
A fire investigation concluded the most likely cause was deliberate ignition by naked flame in the kitchen and living room of Savage's flat.
Police said it was believed Savage used an accelerant but the damage was so severe no remnants could be found.
He pleaded guilty to arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered along with admitted theft from an address in Bestwood.
Det Con Shannon Hutchinson said: "It is only through good fortune that no one was injured or worse."
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