A raging husband who went ‘thermonuclear’ and torched his wife’s wedding dress has been given a fine.
James Ian Ratcliffe, 35, set fire to the £1,000 garment which had been worn by his wife Nicola 10 months previously, magistrates heard.
She discovered the burnt remains at their Macclesfield home the day after walking out on him following an argument over his plans to store an air rifle in the house, the court heard.
Ratcliffe also damaged a baby monitor, baby thermometer and mobile phone charger during a rage he himself described as ‘thermonuclear’, prosecutors said.
At Macclesfield magistrates’ court, Ratcliffe, of St Austell Avenue, admitted arson and criminal damage and was sentenced to a 12 month community order, with 15 days rehabilitation activity and an £80 fine.
But the court was told Ratcliffe had been sacked from his job since his shocking actions were reported in the Macclesfield Express three weeks ago.
Debbie Byrne, prosecuting, said the Ratcliffes had been together for six years and married in August 2015.
She said: “Mrs Ratcliffe says the couple had been having problems for a few months. She said he was being irrational and aggressive. On June 15 he had brought home an air rifle. Mrs Ratcliffe said that there was no way it was staying in the house. She then packed up some things and left the property. As she left, Ratcliffe said he would burn the house down. The next day she returned and found her wedding dress had been burnt on the back lawn.”
“After he was arrested he told police he had a moment of rage when she told him she was leaving. He described himself as going thermonuclear. He set the wedding dress alight using a naked flame. He said it was a moment of complete stupidity. He said the dress was symbolic.”
Jenny Fields, defending, said since the case appeared in the Express he had lost his job.
