A woman who was jailed for arson has been sent back to prison after she set fire to a pasty shop specifically designed to help offenders back into the community.
Kimberley Francis, 29, started the blaze at HM Pasties in Droylsden in revenge, after she was sacked from her job for turning up to work drunk and claims she had stolen money from the till.
The bakery is specifically designed to provide employment for ex-offenders, like Francis, and help rehabilitate them back into the community
Minshull Street Crown Court heard that Francis had secured the job in 2018 - some time after being released from a two-year prison sentence for setting fire to her rented house in 2014.
Yet after less than a year into the job, she was accused by management of turning up to work intoxicated, and questioned about a sum of £250 which had gone missing from the till.
Following a disciplinary hearing in March this year, Francis was dismissed from her job at the Pasty shop.
Prosecutor, Gavin Howie, told the court that on May 4, Francis had been drinking at a nearby pub when she decided to visit the shop and collect some items she believed belonged to her.
In drink, she set fire to a cardboard box which blocked the entrance of the shop, causing smoke damage to the shop and to the flat upstairs.
"Luckily the upstairs flat was not occupied at the time of the fire," Mr Howie said.
"The back door was completely destroyed by smoke damage, caused by a box that was placed near the exit of the shop which was set alight."
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The court heard that quickly after starting the blaze, Francis rang the fire service telling them to attend - admitting she had set fire to the shop.
Greater Manchester Fire Service attended managed to extinguish the fire quickly, minimising the damage to the shop.
Nobody was injured in the blaze.
Francis' lawyer, Ben Kaufman told the court that his client had a history of mental ill-health and had been taking medication at the time of the fire.
"She took direct action to notify the authorities and prevent any escalation of the damage," Mr Kaufman said.
"Miss Francis was under the impression the upstairs flat was not occupied and referred in interview to the occupants being in Thailand.
"She went to speak to her previous employer because she was frustrated her employment had been terminated, but this was not a premeditated attack."
Francis, of Fifth Avenue, Clayton, was jailed for two years and six months after admitting arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.
Sentencing, Judge Bernadette Baxter said: "You had been dismissed from your employment at HM Pasties and became frustrated and bitter because you were not getting items you felt you were owed back.
“In drink, you went to these premises and you set fire to a cardboard box which took hold and caused damage to the premises and progressed up the wall of the premises and to the flat above.
"You must have known full well the risks involved in setting fire and the particular risk of life caused by that act.
"You endanger firefighters when you set fires as well as other members of the public.
“If you keep doing this the day will come when you are marked as a dangerous offender and you will spend longer and longer periods of time in custody."
Francis will serve half her sentence in custody before being released on license.
