Nicholas Martin, 63, stalked his wife in the days before the incident
Nicholas Martin(Image: Greater Manchester Police)
A man has been told he may die behind bars after he tried to kill his estranged wife in a devastating fire.
Nicholas Martin stalked Emma Martin for days before pouring petrol through the letterbox at her home in the middle of the night.
The 63-year-old set to fuel alight resulting in a horrific fire which Emma escaped from by jumping out of an upstairs window.
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The 52-year-old victim broke her ankles in the fall as well as a bone in her back.
And her beloved cat TC perished in the fire at the home on Montonmill Gardens in Manchester on October 22 last year, Manchester Evening News reports.
Martin, a former head of estates at Salford Royal Hospital and the Manchester Royal Infirmary, fled to the Lake District but was caught the following day.
Now, after being found guilty of attempted murder, he has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Sentencing at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester on Monday, November 10, Judge Maurice Greene told him: “The evidence I am satisfied shows this was a wicked, planned and premeditated attack carried out at a time when the victim was asleep, and therefore most vulnerable.”
Ms Martin spent months in a wheelchair and still has to use crutches to help her walk.
Her attacker’s barrister said that given his age and the sentence handed down, Martin may die behind bars.
The court heard the couple met on a dating app in 2019 and married shortly after. In August 2021, they went on a trip to Scotland to celebrate Martin’s birthday.
During the trip he attacked his wife by repeatedly dragging her to the ground and shoving her against the wall and not allowing her to leave.
She suffered bruising during the ‘vicious and sustained’ attack. Ms Martin said she did not tell anyone about it, and tried to pretend it never happened and the pair continued their relationship.
However, she continued to experience flashbacks to the attack and decided to report it to police last year.
He was arrested and released on strict bail conditions to live at an address in Leicester and not have contact with her or go to her address in Eccles.
But in the early hours of October 21 last year, he attended outside the house, poured petrol through the letter box and set the house ablaze. Ms Martin was awoken to the sounds of the letterbox snapping shut before she heard the ‘crackling sounds’ of a fire.
Smoke began to develop making it difficult for her to breathe. She attempted to save her cat, which was downstairs and in ‘distress’, but such was the extent of the smoke, she had to flee upstairs.
Ms Martin then jumped out of the first floor window and was left with serious injuries to her ankles and her back.
Martin then drove to the Windemere, and was eventually caught up with at a hotel. Officers recovered a petrol can containing petrol in his hotel room.
Martin admitted starting the blaze but denied intending to kill his wife. But jurors saw through his lies and found him guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and attempted murder. He was found not guilty of an offence of controlling and coercive behaviour.
His barrister Steven Swift said of Martin: “He has an awareness that at his age, he may not live to be released.”
Ms Martin said in an emotional statement: “Martin’s vile and monstrous actions have utterly destroyed and decimated my life through his abuse of me during our relationship, and the continuation and heinous escalation of his abuse of me after our relationship ended and he was arrested, charged with domestic abuse offences and bailed.
“Martin has irrevocably changed the lives of my family members and I will forever remain wracked with guilt at bringing such a dangerous and destructive man into our lives, and at how close my son and daughter came to the murder of their mum, and my mum came to the murder of her only child.
“During my recovery, there were times during this period when I wished I had died in the fire when I saw the pain and anxiety on the faces of my family members, but thanks to their resilience, love and courage, I somehow managed to keep moving forward and pushed through the darkest days.”
Martin, of Bosworth Street, Leicester, was told he would serve two-thirds of his sentence behind bars. and an indefinite restraining order was also passed.
After the hearing, Det Con Zoe Bellis, of Salford CID, said: “Firstly, I would like to thank the victim for having the courage to report this ordeal to us.
“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the victim for her unwavering support throughout the investigation. Her strength has been instrumental in helping us build the strongest possible case against her abuser and ensuring he is held accountable.
“I hope today’s result marks the beginning of her journey toward healing, with the reassurance that justice has been served for the manipulative and appalling acts committed against her.
“Anybody who thinks they may have been a victim of domestic abuse can contact Greater Manchester Police at any time. We will provide support, conduct thorough investigations, and take firm action against offenders. Your allegations will be taken seriously, and you will be treated with dignity and respect.”
