A woman who deliberately set fire to her Newport flat late at night while drunk has been given an immediate two-year prison sentence.
Faduno Hajiali, 43, of Godfrey Road, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, October 19. She appeared by video link (CVP) from HMP Eastwood Park.
Sentencing
His Honour Judge Felstead considered whether the sentence could be suspended but decided it could not. He gave two main reasons. The offence was serious: a fire started in a residential building late at night, putting a number of people and property at risk. Hajiali had also failed to comply with community orders in the past.
The judge regarded her as a high-risk individual.
Along with the custodial sentence, Hajiali must pay a £187 victim surcharge within three months of her release.
The fire
The fire was started at around 11pm on April 29, when Hajiali was noticeably drunk.
A neighbour found her slumped against a door and managed to put out a fire. A larger fire was burning inside the flat, and the fire service dealt with it.
The fire did not spread to any of the neighbouring flats. Hajiali’s flat was left with considerable damage, which has caused a lot of difficulty for the owner of the property. It is understood the local council has paid for the damage.
Previous offending
Hajiali has 20 previous convictions covering 42 offences. Cardiff Crown Court heard that alcohol was behind most of her offending.
Psychiatric reports found nothing to suggest she has any particular fascination with fire or with starting fires, the court was told.
Mitigation
Her defence counsel set out a number of mitigating factors and described some of the difficulties she has faced.
Two years ago, Hajiali was seriously ill with sepsis, and her leg had to be amputated as a result. The court heard her disability has made custody very challenging so far, and her wheelchair is broken.
Despite this, she has been using her time “productively” and staying away from alcohol, the court heard.
