Mansfield man jailed for arson and burglary
A Mansfield arsonist and burglar who set fire to his home has been jailed.
Archie Tallack set light to a mattress in a bedroom at the terraced house on Gladstone Street he shared with a woman, whom it is believed he had argued with with earlier in the day.
She returned to the property around 9.35pm on April 9 to discover rooms had been trashed and the bedroom was on fire.
Firefighters put out the blaze quickly and prevented it spreading.
Earlier the same day, Tallack and his friend Scott Blake stole a television after breaking into a flat in a multi-occupancy home, also on Gladstone Street.
Following the fire, police were then called to the town’s St Peter’s Retail Park where it was reported two offenders were using a shopping trolley to break into Home Bargains.
Officers found Tallack and Blake inside the store, heavily intoxicated having attempted to steal alcohol.
Tallack, aged 22, of Gladstone Street, was jailed for two-and-a-half years when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on August 14.
He had earlier pleaded guilty to arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered and two counts of burglary.
Blake, aged 26, of Gladstone Street, was jailed for 16 months, suspended for two years.
He had pleaded guilty to two burglaries on May 15.
Det Insp Andy Hall, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “The fire was lit in a terraced property, meaning there was a very real risk of it spreading to neighbouring homes and putting families at risk.
“Tallack was incredibly reckless and put the lives of people on the street in serious danger through his actions.”