Arsonist who repeatedly abused his ex-partner, destroyed her house in Sussex and killed her dog jailed

Sussex Police said Adrian West subjected Louise Simpson to a series of violent attacks throughout 2024, including strangling her, punching her to the face and kicking her leg.

Police said their relationship broke down and the victim asked West to leave her property in Creasys Drive, Crawley, on September 13 that year – but the 61-year-old returned later that day and smashed her doorbell camera using a rock.

He was arrested and spent the night in custody, and was released without charge as the victim did not wish to sign a statement at the time, the force said.

However the following day, he returned again. On this occasion, Sussex Police said he intentionally set fire to the address while Louise and her dog were inside.

The force said she managed to escape without significant harm with the help of her neighbours – but despite her best efforts, her three-year-old British Bulldog Peggy tragically died in the blaze.

Bodyworn footage from firefighters who responded to the scene shows the devastation caused by the fire.

In her victim impact statement, Louise, 53, said: “In a single instant, you stole everything from me. The home I built over 26 years, the home where I raised my son Connor (now 28), is gone.

“The financial impact has been catastrophic. I have nothing. I am forced to restart my life from scratch at a time when I should feel settled and secure. I had no insurance, a fact he knew.

“I had a modest home, a modest way of living. Every single thing I owned is gone, not just the sentimental things but the everyday comforts that made my house my home.

“But the emotional impact, that will never leave me. I live with constant anxiety. I cannot even step into a shop without feeling sick and overwhelmed. Simple, everyday tasks have become unbearable. I break down at the slightest thing. I cannot control my thoughts or emotions. I no longer trust people. My life, my personality, my sense of self, everything has changed. I feel like a shell of the person I was. My heart has been ripped open, and it will never fully heal.

“I loved my home. I loved my neighbours. I loved my community. And you took that from me.

“And you took the things that were truly irreplaceable. My mum’s things. The little things that meant so much to her, and because of that, they were precious to me. Gone forever.

“And you didn’t just take from me, you also took from Connor. His toys. His collection of Thomas the Tank Engine trains, the most prized possessions of his childhood. His first teddy bear. The little heirlooms he had kept for his future children. His memory box. Things he held onto so tightly, now reduced to nothing.

“In an instant, I lost everything. My beautiful Peggy. My home. Every possession I owned. And my relationship.

“I don’t just mourn what I’ve lost, I mourn the person I used to be. The person who felt safe in her own home. The person who found joy in the little things. That person is gone, replaced by someone who struggles to get through each day. And I don’t know if I will ever get me back.

“I don’t know if I will ever feel safe again. I don’t know if I will ever trust someone enough to let them into my life the way I once did.”

Sussex Police said West, of no fixed address, was subsequently arrested and charged with arson with intent, criminal damage, non-fatal strangulation, common assault and two counts of actual bodily harm.

He pleaded guilty to all offences and was sentenced to a total of six years and three months’ imprisonment when he appeared before Lewes Crown Court on May 2.

Louise, who personally designed a tattoo of Peggy and had her ashes mixed into the ink, added: “Peggy was my world. I lived for her. The pain of losing her is unbearable. It never stops. I would give anything to have her back. She was my best friend, my little soulmate. She was the sweetest, kindest soul, and everyone who knew her loved her. She was full of love, always by my side, always making me smile. She brought joy to my life every single day.

“I wake up every morning expecting to feel her beside me, hogging the bed and the duvet. But she’s not there. And my heart breaks all over again.

“I tried so hard to get her out. The smoke was too thick, I couldn’t breathe. I tried, and I tried, and I tried. Then I had to make the hardest decision of my life, to leave her and trust the firefighters to save her. They got her out so fast. They tried everything to bring her back. But it was too late.

“Now, all I have of Peggy is ashes, paw prints, and fur cuttings.”

Addressing West in court, Louise added: “No sentence will ever undo what you have done. No justice will ever bring back my home, my memories, or my beautiful Peggy. No punishment will ever restore the life I had before you destroyed it. I will never get back what you took from me. That is a fact both you and I will have to live with for the rest of our lives.

“You will serve your sentence and one day walk free. I will never be free of what you did. And that is the life sentence you have given me.”