Suicide bid man’s jail term cut

AN Oldham man who torched his flat in a suicide bid after breaking up with his girlfriend has had his jail term cut on appeal.

Colin Graham Miller (31), of Rembrandt Walk, Sholver, was jailed up for four and a half years at Manchester Crown Court in May after admitting arson.

At London’s Appeal Court yesterday the sentence was reduced to three years and four months who said the original term was excessive.

The court heard Miller had been drinking heavily on December 7 last year and argued with his girlfriend of three years when he returned to their flat in Huddersfield Road in the early hours.

His girlfriend left, telling him their relationship was over.

Miller told officers he had poured lighter fluid on himself and on some papers and set light to them in a bid to kill himself. But the flat was above a takeaway and there was an adjoining flat. — neither of which, fortunately, were affected.

His lawyers argued his sentence was too much, given that he had been making a determined attempt on his own life.

Judge Peter Rook QC said it was a serious case but that the original term was too long.”