Man jailed for 30 years after setting fire to victim’s house whilst she slept

Nicholas Martin (28/08/1962) of Bosworth Street, Leicester, was jailed for 30 years today (Monday 10 November 2025) at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Martin was found guilty of attempt murder and assault occasioning actual bodily harm at a trial at the same court on Wednesday 10 September. He was also made the subject of a life-long restraining order against the victim.

On October 22 2024, at around 5:10am, Martin poured petrol through the letterbox of his ex-partner’s house and set it alight before leaving the area.

The woman, who jumped out of a first-floor window to safety, fortunately survived the attack but suffered two broken ankles and a broken vertebrae in her back from the jump.

The victim was initially woken in the middle of the night after hearing her letterbox snapping closed and then heard a crackling sound which resembled a log burner. Shortly after she realised her house was ablaze and jumped out of her bedroom window to safety.

Martin had been in a relationship with the woman since 2019. He became increasingly controlling, monitoring her movements, preventing her from seeing family members and constantly criticising her.

Investigators at Salford Criminal Investigation Department found that Martin had installed home cameras for monitoring and controlled what she could eat, wear, and watch on television.

At the time of the offence, Martin was on bail for a previous assault with conditions in place for him not to contact the victim and to reside in Leicester. But he left his bail address, rented a car and drove to Worsley.

He booked into a hotel and waited until the middle of the night to execute his attack when his ex-partner would be asleep.

Martin was arrested on 23 October 2024 at a hotel in the Lake District, where a can containing petrol was recovered in the hotel room wardrobe.

He made no comment in his police interview and went on to plead not guilty at court. Despite later admitting to causing the fire, he claimed he had no intention to kill the woman.

The victim's pet cat was killed in the fire. 

In a powerful victim impact statement read out in court, the victim said: "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.

“After contacting the police in September 2024, I was incredibly relieved when Martin was charged for assaulting me in 2021 and I was informed that his bail conditions meant that he was not allowed to contact me in any way. As we neared the date of Martin’s court hearing scheduled for October 2024, I was starting to look towards my future.

“I described in court my feelings of absolute terror when I realised that my home had been set alight by fire. I am still often consumed by the same feelings of terror, experiencing flashbacks, distressing memories and nightmares of the fire and aftermath.

“I have spent many months in trauma therapy and clinical psychology sessions trying to develop strategies to manage the frequent flashbacks and nightmares of the fire. The chilling memory of the clear thought that I was going to die, the choking feeling of smoke inhalation, and the fall as I jumped out of the bedroom window, will never leave me. I am plagued by intrusive thoughts of what would have happened if there had been family members staying with me at my home.

“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.

"The worst part of the destruction of my belongings is the loss of irreplaceable items such as family photos, and mementos of my late father and grandparents. After the murder attempt, I was left suffering extreme trauma and pain whilst not being able to have any of my familiar belongings around me, and in the knowledge that my home had been destroyed.

It is impossible for me to contemplate how I will ever feel strong enough both physically and emotionally to make a home and live independently ever again, and to replace and rebuild what Martin has destroyed. My mum, son and daughter have all also required trauma therapy sessions following Martin’s actions.

“I will be forever grateful to everyone involved in the criminal case who have worked so hard and so tirelessly to hold Martin to account for his atrocious actions, and to the many people who have shown me love and kindness through my ongoing psychological and physical recovery.

“I do not know if or how I will ever be able to rebuild some kind of life for myself as Martin has destroyed so much.”

Detective Constable Zoe Bellis, of Salford CID, said: “Firstly, I would like to thank the victim for having the courage to report this ordeal to us.

“Martin undertook a campaign of abuse against his victim lasting a number of years. His last act nearly resulted in a woman’s death and I am thankful of today’s sentencing result putting this despicable individual behind bars and away from harming other victims.

“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.”

Not all violence against women and girls starts as physical abuse, and instances may go unreported as people in controlling relationships often do not recognise the harm they face.

To help in preventing this behaviour, we are supporting the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s ‘#IsThisOk?’ campaign, which aims to raise awareness around the signs of coercive and controlling behaviour. 

More information on the ‘#IsThisOkay: This is not a Game, Boy’ campaign can be found here: #IsThisOk?

Report and support information

We encourage any victim of domestic abuse to come forward to us by calling 101, reporting on our website, or using our Live Chat service. We are committed to safeguarding vulnerable people, reducing harm and bringing offenders to justice. We will listen, support and act.

Always call 999 in an emergency.

Whether you choose to report to police, or not, please know that support is out there.

You can contact the below local support organisations who will help you.

Greater Manchester domestic abuse helpline Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, except bank holidays. For anyone experiencing domestic abuse. Includes a language service and advice for the LGBT community.

End the Fear includes information on local help all over Greater Manchester.