Man facing trial charged over Sunderland flat fire that caused woman to jump from upstairs window

A suspected arsonist faces trial next month over a flat fire where a woman jumped free from the flames from an upstairs window.
Police outside the scene of the blaze in Whitehall Terrace, on Hylton Road, Sunderland.Police outside the scene of the blaze in Whitehall Terrace, on Hylton Road, Sunderland.
Police outside the scene of the blaze in Whitehall Terrace, on Hylton Road, Sunderland.

Emergency services were alerted to the fire in Whitehall Terrace, on Hylton Road in Sunderland, at around 12.30am on Tuesday, August 6 last year.

A 50-year-old woman was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries after she lept from an upstairs window and into the yard at the back of the flat.

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Three cats and three kittens were also rescued from the home after the fire.

Sunderland man Robert Barnett, 28, of Whitehall Terrace, who denies arson with intent to endanger life and arson being reckless to whether life is endangered, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court today.

Mr Recorder Dafydd Enoch QC adjourned the case and said Barnett's trial will take place on October 28.

Barnett was remanded in custody by the judge until his next court appearance.

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