TWO police heroes have won a judge’s praise for their bravery in rescuing an arsonist from eight-foot flames.

Sgt Steve Merritt and PC Joseph Schramm had to scale a 12-foot high wall to get into the Pickering building compound where Barry Jephson, 46, had started the blaze, York Crown Court heard.

Despite his aggression towards them and his volatile, hostile behaviour, they managed to pull him away from the fire, the court heard.

The flames were eight feet high.

“They have done their community proud,” said Judge Stephen Ashurst as he applauded the police officers’ bravery.

It is the second time Sgt Merritt has won praise for his courage in saving members of the public. In 2021, he was nominated for a National Police Bravery Award for climbing a 100ft sea cliff to rescue a man from rocks near Scarborough.

The judge also applauded the way North Yorkshire firefighters managed to prevent the fire spreading to engulf the entire compound.

Today Jephson is starting two years behind bars.

The 46-year-old of no fixed address pleaded guilty to arson committed on Easter Sunday on March 31, the day after he was given a community order for making threats to burn down the home of his former partner’s father on March 28. He had 152 previous convictions including 11 for criminal damage but none for arson.

Kelly Clarke, prosecuting, said Jephson’s actions at JT Atkinson of Thornton Road, Pickering, caused nearly £9,000 of damage.

She read a statement from the building merchants’ giving details of the disruption and financial effect on the company and its employees.

She said the company had had to replace the gate leading into its compound because the firefighters had had to break into the compound to tackle the fire.

As well as replacing the damaged stock, it had had to re-surface the area where the fire had been and staff had had to end their Easter weekend early and go to work on the bank holiday Monday to clear away the damage. They had also lost out on their annual bonus because the fire had affected the company’s profits on which their bonuses were based.

The judge said the case showed that businesses suffered when they were the victim of crime, as well as human beings.

Defence barrister Rhianydd Clement said Jephson had a long-standing problem with alcohol and had mental health issues.

On March 31, he had been drinking heavily and paranoid, feeling that he was being followed in a vehicle. He was also depressed so had started the fire.

He was “genuinely remorseful” for his actions.