A furious man threatened to kill his estranged wife and told her “if I can’t have you, no one can” before burning down her house in a jealous rage.
John Johnson, 34, sent a string of abusive text messages to his ex-wife, April Perrin, after their seven-year marriage came to an end in December 2022. On March 13 2023, the mum-of-five noticed the CCTV camera outside her home was positioned oddly, and after investigating she found Johnson still had access to the footage and had been using it to spy on her.
After turning off the camera, Johnson texted her: “Ha ha, you caught me. Just watch.” This was followed by another message: “If you don’t reply before 3am, that’s it. I don’t care who gets hurt.” He threatened to share a private image, and said: “I’m going to destroy you all, kill you, you’re dead.”
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Johnson, formerly of Lorenzo Drive, West Derby, was later arrested, and made a “full, frank admission” to spying on Ms Perrin and sending her abusive messages, and was bailed on the condition he did not contact her again.
But on April 2 2023, he texted her telling her he wanted to see the children. She told him to stay away as she suspected he had been drinking, but at 5.30pm he arrived at the family home on Agar Road. When Ms Perrin ordered him to leave, he threatened her: “If I can’t have you, no one can.”
Outside, he continued to shout at her and pounded and kicked the front door. He attempted to phone her 40 times and sent her a string of threatening texts, including: “Watch your windows tonight”, and “face it, you deserve what’s coming to you.”
He was arrested again, and was again bailed on the condition he did not contact Ms Perrin.
On the night of August 19 2023, he entered the family home while Ms Perrin and the children were out, doused the downstairs lounge in accelerant and set the property ablaze. He then went to a friend’s house on nearby Ferguson Road, who persuaded him to hand himself into the police that night.
He pleaded guilty to arson, threats to kill, disclosing private sexual photographs without consent, and malicious communications, and appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today, December 13, for sentence.
Prosecutor Kate Morley said: “Fire services and police arrived at the property. The address was clearly scorched and badly damaged. The street was smoky and fire could be smelled from a distance away. Fire crews entered through the front door, fighting the fire as they went. The fire involved all the contents of the room. The damage was described as extensive. The entire contents of the lounge had been burned, including a sofa, TV, fireplace and furniture within the room. The flames had started to progress into the hallway and stairs.”
She said the cost of the fire totalled at least £100,000.
Ms Perrin said: “I’m beyond emotional from what’s happened. I have never suffered emotion like it. I feel so upset. John is not the person I met and fell in love with. In the back of my mind, I would worry he would do something harmful. I was always hoping he would get clean and we would have that family life again.”
She said she had lost sentimental items in the fire, including a teddy bear and a blanket from when two of her children were babies. She had trouble sleeping and she feared she would “never trust anyone again”.
She added: “When I look back to John setting the house on fire, I think why would you do that? Why would you do that to the children? I never thought he would do something so serious.”
Oliver Saddington, defending, said Johnson’s offending had been influenced by his use of cocaine and alcohol, which had contributed to the break-down of his marriage. He said: “He’s ashamed, genuinely remorseful, and wishes to express that to the court. It’s evidence that the many positive qualities he will be able to complete his sentence take advantage of the help in custody and hopefully flourish upon his release. He wants to keep contact with his children. He has been making good progress in prison. He has been engaging with drug and alcohol services.”
Judge David Swinnerton, sentencing, said: “I hope now that you’re sober, you stop and think not only of what you did to your wife, but your children. All their things, gone. Their home, their toys, their belongings. In drink, in drugs, in anger and in jealousy you didn’t stop and think about that. You wanted to make a point. You set fire to your family’s, your children’s home.”
He found Johnson to be dangerous, after two reports said he posed a high risk to partners. He sentenced him to a total of one year in prison for making threats to kill, disclosing private sexual images, and malicious communications. This will run consecutively with a four year sentence, extended by five years, for arson.
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Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
