by Keith Hunt

A father accused of fire-bombing his ex-girlfriend’s home just hours before they were due at a county court hearing has been cleared of arson charges.

Joshua Caird was alleged to have thrown a home-made Molotov cocktail while Amy Garrard and their 24-month-old daughter were inside her mother’s house in Laburnham Avenue, Dartford.

Miss Garrard claimed she froze in shock as she watched Mr Caird running towards the home and then slow down as he throw a milk bottle.

But the 23-year-old, of Almond Road, Dartford, denied arson with intent to endanger life and an alternative charge or arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered and the jury of six men and six women returned not guilty verdicts.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the daughter was asleep on a sofa in the living room on September 12 last year when the petrol bomb struck the window.

Miss Garrard said she grabbed the child and took her upstairs before calling the police.

The bottle exploded and flames shot up the outside of the house.

Prosecutor Deborah Charles said the damage was fortunately limited as the lit pieces of fabric poked into the end of the bottle fell out before it struck the window.

That, no doubt, was down to pure luck - that no one was hurt and the fire was not worse,” she said.

Mr Caird and Miss Garrard had a stormy relationship during which her parents threw her out of their home.

The couple’s daughter was born in January 2008, but they split up later that year while Mr Caird was in custody.

He had no contact with his daughter but was due at a county court hearing the day after the firebomb incident. Miss Garrard was staying at her mother’s home with her daughter at the time.

The jury heard Mr Caird fled out the back of his home and scaled a fence when police went to question him.

He went to the police the next day and maintained he had been at home at the time of the incident.