32

A man who set fire to a woman’s family home and harassed and abused her has been sentenced to four years in prison and given a ten-year restraining order against her and her family members.
Harry Page, 24, of Hedgemans Road, Dagenham, was sentenced on Tuesday 26 July at Chelmsford Crown Court after pleading guilty to one count each of arson, burglary, stalking causing serious alarm or distress, assault, and disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress.
He will be released on licence for another two years after serving his sentence because the courts deemed him to be a dangerous offender.
While the woman was out having lunch with a group of friends in September 2021, a video call to the group showed Page inside the woman’s home in Chelmsford. Officers arrived to find that someone had forced entry through her house’s back door and that her bedroom had been completely trashed, causing hundreds of pounds in damage.
Page called the woman’s phone over 40 times while she was giving a statement to officers at a nearby station. He also sent her threatening emails and called her friends several times, demanding to know why she wasn’t answering.
Page returned to the property later that evening. Officers nearby noticed smoke coming from the back of the house and discovered that the back room was on fire. Page later admitted to deliberately setting fire to the house, causing over £200,000 in damage and the irreplaceable loss of family memories and belongings.
Page was arrested a few days later, charged, and remanded in custody after the woman revealed that she had been subjected to harassment and torment for months prior to the incident.
Officers from our Domestic Abuse Investigation Team, who investigated the case, praised the woman’s bravery, saying Page’s actions had left her “petrified.” When asked to describe the impact of his crimes, she stated, “the best way I can describe it is that he took my life without killing me.”
PC “This is once again an awful example of someone setting out to ruin the life of another person, purely because they haven’t been able to manipulate them and get their own way,” said Jenny Clarke, the investigating officer, whose hard work was praised by the prosecution in court. It’s truly despicable, and I believe Page would have continued to torment her for the sheer pleasure of it if it hadn’t been for the bravery of the woman who came forward. “People like her are the reason we do this job day in and day out – they deserve answers and to see the perpetrators held accountable for their actions.”
If you or someone you know is being abused, stalked, or harassed, please report it.
If you need to speak with us urgently but are concerned that someone might overhear, dial 999 and press 55 when instructed. This will notify the operator that you are in a dangerous situation and require assistance.
Clare’s Law also allows people who believe they have a violent partner to request information about them if they are concerned about their partner’s behaviour.
More information is available on our website, and if doing so will help you stay safe, please clear your search history afterwards.
If you are a victim of violence or know someone who is, the SETDAB website can help you find support and community resources.