Arson accused collapses

From the Oxford Mail, first published Wednesday 11th Jun 2008.

A teenager accused of putting a lit firework through the letter box of a family home on Halloween collapsed while in the witness box today.

Jamie Matthews, 19, and Lewis Colwell, 18, both deny arson with intent to endanger life following the blaze in Ramsay Road, Headington, in November.

Trainee butcher Colwell, of Downside Road in Risinghurst, also denies a further charge of reckless arson, which Matthews, of Manor Farm Road in Horspath, has admitted.

This afternoon, Matthews collapsed while being cross-examined by prosecutor Peter Coombe.

A juror, a nurse, rushed to help the teenager who was eventually taken away from the court in St Aldates by ambulance.

Earlier this week, the court heard how David Norbrook, his wife and two boys who were then aged three and six were asleep inside the house, but escaped uninjured.

Trial judge Bruce McIntyre adjourned proceedings until tomorrow.

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