A POLRUAN woman has denied two offences of arson – in one of which she allegedly intended to endanger the lives of three children she was babysitting at the time.
Fleur Wyndham-Grey, of Fore Street, is accused of damaging two properties by fire, one in Polruan and another in Fowey.
The 57-year-old appeared before Truro Crown Court on Tuesday and Wednesday, where she faced charges that on January 3 last year she damaged by fire the home of her neighbours in Fore Street, Polruan, Christine King and Professor David Jenkins, with intent to destroy or damage the property or being reckless as to whether it would be damaged or destroyed.
She was also charged with damaging by fire on May 13 last year the Old Library in Fore Street, Fowey, owned by Katherine and Tom Varcoe, intending to damage or destroy the property and intending to endanger the lives of three children.
David Evans, for the prosecution, said Wyndham-Grey had been affected by drink on both occasions.
He said the Polruan fire was started in a wicker basket in the living room shortly after the owners had gone to the nearby Lugger pub for a meal. Though a neighbour quickly called the fire service, damage costing £32,000 was caused.
Wyndham-Grey had lived next door for some years and had been entrusted with a key to the property, looking after the house when the owners were on holiday in Italy.
"The prosecution allege that Wyndham-Grey used her key to get into the cottage, knowing her neighbours had gone out for a meal," said Mr Evans.
"The fire had obviously been started deliberately."
Mr Evans said the second fire was started while Wyndham-Grey, who had lived in Fowey for a number of years, was babysitting three children for Mr and Mrs Varcoe, with whom she had become friendly. Mrs Varcoe left her in charge while she went out for a meal with a friend, her husband being away in London at the time.
Wyndham-Grey asked the friend to fetch her some cigarettes, a half-bottle of whisky and some ginger ale, which she did.
The defendant gave the children their dinner and put them to bed.
Flames were spotted by a neighbour at about 11pm and he alerted firefighters, who later discovered a fire had started under a bed in the house and had almost burned through the floorboards to the concrete below.
Wyndham-Grey denies the charges, and a lesser alternative charge in relation to the Fowey fire of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.
She said she did not know how the Polruan fire had started, and denied having been responsible for the one in Fowey.
The trial continues.