Man Tries to Burn Out Ninjas

Leicester Crown Court heard that Stanley Turner set fire to his flat in an attempt to smoke out ‘Ninjas’ living under his bed. Mr Turner caused almost £17,000 worth of damage to his own flat and the one below in his misguided attempt at curbing the hallucinatory, black-clad menace.

When the fire service arrived they found that Mr Turner, understandably worried that the Ninjas may flip out and kill people, had set light to a toilet roll to “smoke out Ninjas from under his bed”. Unsurprisingly, Mr Turner was then hospitalised for four days.

Mr Turner pleaded guilty and his defence blamed the incident on temporary psychosis caused by a change from his usual tipples, spirits and wine, to cider. The Judge handed down a suspended 52 week jail sentence and a supervision order which will include help with his drink problem.