When an evil arsonist who terrorised innocent families was jailed for at least eight-and-a-half years his victims must have thought their nightmare was over.

But Leroy Brown continued to plague their lives with threats from his cell at Elmley Prison in Sheppey.

Now, 34-year-old Brown has been sentenced to a further four years after he was convicted of making threats to kill.

He was convicted in March last year of five offences of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered and one of blackmail.

Maidstone Crown Court heard a plot was hatched to blackmail a wealthy businessman.

During the campaign, Brown started fires at three Medway homes, as well at others in London.

Brown, who has served a 14-year sentence for armed robbery, demanded £50,000 from London property developer Stephen Aldridge, who owned an Aston Martin DB9.

The victim received a series of threats, one of which included a demand for £50,000.

Mr Aldridge moved his family from south west London to Virginia Water, Surrey, in April 2010. That month, two terraced mews houses near his former home were set alight.

On May 17 2011, Brown meant to set fire to the home of Mr Aldridge’s parents in Rainham, but torched the house of neighbours David Adams and Pilawan Ranco by mistake.

The front of the house caught fire and their car went up in flames.

Ten days later there was a similar attack at another Rainham home where Mr Aldridge’s sister Debra Baker and her husband Scott lived with their two children.

The house was unoccupied at the time because they were camping.

On July 14, Brown succeeded in setting fire to the home of Mr Aldridge’s parents Peter and Pauline following an explosion. Two cars on the drive caught fire.

Prosecutor Martin Yale said after Brown, of Hanwell, west London, was given an indeterminate sentence for public protection he was unable to let sleeping dogs lie.

He continued to terrorise Peter and Pauline Aldridge and Scott and Debra Baker with threats in letters.

“It is clear his intention was to make them believe that the blackmailer and arsonist was still out there and still had them in his sights, despite his own convictions for those offences,” said Mr Yale.

Brown was transferred from Elmley to HMP Garth in Lancashire in October last year.

When his cell there was searched the following month and writing material was found, he said: “Tell DC Wayne Tottington he is wasting his time.

"There are others implicated in this. We’ve had a trial and he’s missed his chance.”

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