Portchester fire trial: People living near nuisance neighbour ‘scared’ after blaze, jurors told

Mum-of-two Zoe Carter told jurors at 57-year-old Susan Thwaites’ trial how she left her home with her two young children on the morning of the fire but had heard a smoke alarm at around 8.30am – but thought it was due to the defendant’s cooking.

The jury has already heard that the fire was deliberately set by Thwaites just three days before she was due to be evicted. 

Sam Barker, defending, asked Miss Carter: ‘Without doubt it was a horrible place to live?’

She replied: ‘Yes.’

Miss Carter, who also gave evidence at Thwaites’ eviction proceedings in 2017, told the defendant’s criminal trial ‘there was so many people’ coming and going at the flat.

Sally Chapman, anti-social behaviour officer at Fareham Borough Council, had instigated possession proceedings to get Thwaites out of her flat of 14 years as a ‘last resort’.

Asked how neighbours came forward to help that case, she said: ‘Quite reluctantly for fear of reprisals but yes a few came forward.’

She said she went to Kenwood Road in the aftermath of the fire to help ‘ease the tension on the street’.

Mr Barker said: ‘It’s fair to say that the residents of not just that building but of the surrounding area were at their wits’ end and now this had happened, this was the straw that broke the camel’s back?’

Ms Chapman said: ‘I think they were scared.’

Asked if residents were ‘sick of Susan Thwaites’, she added: ‘I think if you had been a resident living there for that period of time you would be sick of it.’

Thwaites, of Noctule Court, Knowle, denies arson with intent to endanger life and alternative charge of arson reckless as to whether life endangered.

(Proceeding)