Man jailed after setting fire to his Radcliffe council flat

Brooke Taylor-Said appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court on Thursday, June 18, for sentencing.

The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of arson in December last year when he first appeared in the dock.

Taylor-Said, who has been remanded at HMP Forest Bank since his arrest, appeared in the dock wearing a grey Nike T-shirt.

The court heard on October 26, 2025, that Taylor-Said set fire to a mattress at a property on Coronation Gardens, Radcliffe, using a lighter, then fled the scene.

A resident in the block of flats called emergency services shortly after 9pm on that night after they heard a smoke alarm going off and could smell a “bonfire type of smell”.

Emergency services arrived at the address at 9.20pm and saw a burnt mattress and duvet.

There was also smoke damage to the hall, bathroom, and kitchen.

At 11.20pm, Taylor-Said’s mother rang emergency services to inform them she had not seen her son.

The court heard she told them her son admitted to setting a fire, and he was “having difficulties persuading the local authority to allow him to move to another property”.

Taylor-Said returned to the property at 1.30am, was arrested, and taken into custody.

The court heard he said: “My head is a mess, I’m going to prison.

“I didn’t mean to endanger any lives.”

He gave a no comment police interview, and the court heard that “when asked what his plan was, he said he wanted to die”.

The court heard there had been two psychiatric reports before sentencing and that Taylor-Said was diagnosed with schizophrenia and depression and had a history of hospitalisations before the offence.

He was a crack cocaine and ketamine user, the court heard, and “a very vulnerable” and “immature” young man who was “most certainly being exploited by others”.

Although the court heard he presented “much better today”, was taking his medication, and had gained qualifications in maths and English while in prison.

The court also heard “he’s extremely sorry”.

“He’s taking his medication, and he’s well.

His mother made “responsible calls” and has had “interest and concern about her son throughout”, the court was told.

HHJ Lester-Ashworth, sentencing Taylor-Said, told him he would have a one-third reduction in his sentence due to entering a guilty plea early.

She told him his accounts were “inconsistent”, in part due to drugs and alcohol, as he had told his mum the council would not let him move address, but told others he had intended to harm himself by setting the fire.

HHJ Lester-Ashworth told Taylor-Said she found there was an “insufficient” connection between his mental health and the offence.

She told the court he removed himself from danger once the fire was lit and had tried before to return the keys to the property to a housing officer.

HHJ Lester-Ashworth said: “I accept that at the time you were vulnerable.”

Taylor-Said was sentenced to 39 months in custody, but with the one-third reduction, he will serve 26 months in prison.

The time already served in custody counts towards this sentence.

No order for costs was made, and HHJ Lester-Ashworth told him: “Do not be defined by this conviction, you have many positive traits.”