ADRIAN WEST'S BRUTAL ARSON IN WEST SUSSEX LEAVES WOMAN AND HER DOG DEAD

A man named Adrian West from West Sussex has been sentenced to prison after committing a devastating act of arson that destroyed a home in Crawley, resulting in the tragic death of a beloved family dog. The incident was preceded by a pattern of violent abuse against his former partner, Louise Simpson, which culminated in a deliberate fire that caused extensive damage and profound emotional trauma.

Throughout 2024, West subjected Louise to a series of violent assaults. These included physically attacking her by strangulation, punching her in the face, and kicking her leg. The relationship between the two had deteriorated, and on September 13 of that year, Louise asked West to leave her residence on Creasys Drive, Crawley. Despite her request, West returned later that same day and vandalized her property by smashing her doorbell camera with a rock, an act that demonstrated his ongoing harassment and intent to intimidate.

Following this act of vandalism, West was detained by police and spent the night in custody. However, he was released without charges at that time because Louise chose not to sign a statement, possibly out of fear or uncertainty. The very next day, West returned once more, but this time, his actions took a far more destructive turn. He intentionally set fire to Louise’s home while she and her dog, Peggy, were inside.

Fortunately, Louise managed to escape the blaze with the assistance of her neighbors, escaping without serious physical injuries. Tragically, her three-year-old British Bulldog, Peggy, was unable to be saved and perished in the flames. Firefighters arriving at the scene captured body-worn footage that revealed the extent of the destruction caused by the fire, underscoring the severity of West’s actions.

In a heartfelt victim impact statement, Louise, now 53, described the profound loss she experienced. She stated, “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.”

She detailed the emotional toll, saying, “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.”

She also mourned the irreplaceable items lost, including her mother’s belongings, and the cherished childhood possessions of her son Connor, such as his Thomas the Tank Engine trains, his first teddy bear, and his memory box. “In an instant, I lost everything. My beautiful Peggy. My home. Every possession I owned. And my relationship,” she lamented.

Louise expressed her ongoing grief and sense of loss, stating, “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 trust anyone enough to let them into my life the way I once did.”

Adrian West, who was found to have no fixed address, was subsequently arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including arson with intent, criminal damage, non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and two counts of actual bodily harm. He pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to a total of six years and three months in prison during a hearing at Lewes Crown Court on May 2.

Louise, who had a tattoo of Peggy designed personally and had her ashes incorporated into the ink, shared her grief: “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. 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.”

She described her daily heartbreak, saying, “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.”

Louise recounted her desperate attempts to save Peggy from the smoke, saying, “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 directly in court, Louise expressed her grief and frustration: “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.”