'Get rid of the evil': Man sets woman's home ablaze believing it was inhabited by witches
LLANDUDNO, WALES: In Llandudno, a man destroyed a woman's house because he thought witches inhabited it. Stuart Hughes poured gasoline through the mailbox of Zara Groves' Llandudno home before setting it on fire. Ffordd Gwynedd resident Hughes said witches were tormenting him and that they had been residing at home. He confesses to setting a fire with reckless disregard for human life.
Ms Groves witnessed the incident in March 2022 and watched in horror as her house was destroyed. When the fire that left her homeless occurred, she uploaded images and a video showing the considerable damage to the home. The 41-year-old guy was given an indefinite hospital order on February 28 by Caernarfon Crown Court. It was deemed that this was a suitable response because Hughes' paranoid schizophrenia was the main reason why he destroyed the innocent woman's home.
READ MORE
James Parker: North Carolina man pours gasoline and sets mom, 72, ablaze after argument
New Jersey woman sets man’s home ablaze after he calls her for late-night sex but falls asleep
Ms Groves heard an 'almighty bang'
The prosecutor, Sion ap Mihangel, claimed that Ms. Groves heard an "almighty bang" at her front door on March 24 at about 10 pm as she was preparing for a weekend getaway. She then encountered smoke and flames, which ultimately "melted" the door of her home. The health and fitness coach managed to flee unhurt and immediately called the fire department for rescue. They found that someone had spilled gasoline on the site, as reported by Dailystar.
'Get rid of the evil'
The next day, Hughes was taken into custody. The officers discovered an empty five-liter jerry can, in his shed. He initially denied being involved and made an effort to persuade authorities that he had been at home the entire night. After almost a decade of being "subjected to witchcraft" by two of the residents, he admitted guilt during a second interrogation and stated that setting the place on fire was his attempt to "get rid of the evil," as reported by Dailypostuk.
The 52-year-old Ms Groves said in court through a video link that the incident was "the worst, scariest time of [her] life." She added that the incident had cost her thousands of pounds and that she trembled to consider what may have occurred if she had visitors over or had been unable to flee that night. She informed the judge that the person she used to be had been reduced to a "shell." Ms Groves described the scenario as a "continuing nightmare" and later had to pay for more durable doors and security features to feel more secure when she was on her own.
Hughes' schizophrenia was severe
Dr Fiona Best, a psychiatrist who has been one of the professionals caring for Hughes since his transfer from HMP Berwyn, was called upon by Maria Masellis, the defense attorney. Hughes' schizophrenia, according to the mental health professional, was "severe," and they warned that if Hughes were to be taken back into custody, any gains he has made would probably be undone.
The defendant's "chronic relapsing of mental illness" was acknowledged by the judge, Nicola Saffman, who determined that an indefinite hospital and restriction order was the best course of action. Thus, Hughes can only be released from the hospital with the Secretary of State for Justice's approval, as per reports.