A man has been imprisoned for six years following an armed siege in which he barricaded his ex-girlfriend, a teenage girl and a baby with him in a flat in Bookham.
Billy English, 31, pleaded guilty at a previous hearing on 21 December, 2012, to two charges of false imprisonment, one charge of arson reckless to the endangerment of life and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and appeared at Guildford Crown Court today (Friday, 1 February) for sentencing.
Police were called to a flat in Proctor Gardens shortly after 6.30am on 18 August last year, following a report that English had blocked the door and was not allowing three other people inside to leave.
Negotiators repeatedly tried to engage with English but, after he made an attempt to harm himself, officers forced their way in to the flat just after 12.30pm.
English, who was drunk and armed with a number of kitchen knives, was arrested after tasers were used on him.
Officers found he had spread white spirit around the flat and attempted to set fire to a sofa and a curtain, which he then quickly put out.
A gas canister was also found in a microwave.
He held a knife to his ex-girlfriend's throat, back and neck and punched her several times throughout the incident, at one stage causing her to hit the bed and briefly lose consciousness.
The teenage girl and baby also involved were not injured.
Detective Constable Jenny Packham said: "This was a terrifying six-hour ordeal for the woman and teenage girl inside the property who were put in real fear for their lives.
"English was drinking throughout the incident and became increasingly volatile towards those in the flat, police officers and concerned family members outside.
"Officers at the scene had to react quickly to what was a fast-moving, dynamic situation with at times limited information of what was happening inside the property.
"The priority at all times was to ensure the safe exit of all involved, including English himself.
"Trained negotiators continued to try and engage with English and make regular welfare checks for those inside right up until the decision was made to force entry to the property.
"I hope this sentence brings some closure for English's victims and reassurance to the wider community and demonstrates that the police and courts take this kind of highly aggressive, intimidating and reckless behaviour extremely seriously."
Billy English, 31, pleaded guilty at a previous hearing on 21 December, 2012, to two charges of false imprisonment, one charge of arson reckless to the endangerment of life and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and appeared at Guildford Crown Court today (Friday, 1 February) for sentencing.
Police were called to a flat in Proctor Gardens shortly after 6.30am on 18 August last year, following a report that English had blocked the door and was not allowing three other people inside to leave.
Negotiators repeatedly tried to engage with English but, after he made an attempt to harm himself, officers forced their way in to the flat just after 12.30pm.
English, who was drunk and armed with a number of kitchen knives, was arrested after tasers were used on him.
Officers found he had spread white spirit around the flat and attempted to set fire to a sofa and a curtain, which he then quickly put out.
A gas canister was also found in a microwave.
He held a knife to his ex-girlfriend's throat, back and neck and punched her several times throughout the incident, at one stage causing her to hit the bed and briefly lose consciousness.
The teenage girl and baby also involved were not injured.
Detective Constable Jenny Packham said: "This was a terrifying six-hour ordeal for the woman and teenage girl inside the property who were put in real fear for their lives.
"English was drinking throughout the incident and became increasingly volatile towards those in the flat, police officers and concerned family members outside.
"Officers at the scene had to react quickly to what was a fast-moving, dynamic situation with at times limited information of what was happening inside the property.
"The priority at all times was to ensure the safe exit of all involved, including English himself.
"Trained negotiators continued to try and engage with English and make regular welfare checks for those inside right up until the decision was made to force entry to the property.
"I hope this sentence brings some closure for English's victims and reassurance to the wider community and demonstrates that the police and courts take this kind of highly aggressive, intimidating and reckless behaviour extremely seriously."
