A woman who set fire to her ex’s belongings said that he’d proposed to her a week earlier before dumping her for another woman.

Jilted Kerry Ann Taylor threw the items into a bin and then torched them in a back garden.

Her ex Andrew Whitehead said he was left devastated after the 33-year-old destroyed precious baby photos and irreplaceable hospital ID tags.

But she claimed that she only damaged socks and a pair of jeans.

Taylor, of Beaumont Street in Moldgreen, pleaded guilty to arson at a hearing last week.

Alex Bozman, prosecuting, told Kirklees Magistrates’ Court that Taylor and Mr Whitehead got together when he split up with his ex.

Then on April 19 he ended the relationship with Taylor to go back to his former partner who was pregnant.

On April 20 a friend contacted Mr Whitehead to say that Taylor was burning some of his belongings in a metal bin outside her Mirfield property.

Kirklees Magistrates, Huddersfield
Kirklees Magistrates, Huddersfield

Mr Bozman said: “He said photos of his children when they were babies were destroyed along with hospital ID bands which were irreplaceable.

“This he said was upsetting and causing stress.

“Mr Whitehead, who works as a car valeter, said he had no clothes as a result of the incident and had to totally start from scratch.”

Carl Kingsley, mitigating, said that Taylor suffered from difficulties with her mental health.

He added: “He (Whitehead) was in a relationship with somebody else and playing one off against the other.

“She’s burned some of his things at the back of the house and that’s it.

“He says these included Diesel jeans, a Lacoste shirt, a Superdry hoodie, an Armani polo shirt and Adidas trainers.

“She says there were socks and one pair of jeans.

“I suggest he’s overplayed his hand and the victim impact statement is ridiculous.”

Magistrates gave Taylor a 12-month conditional discharge.

They did not award any compensation but ordered her to pay £85 costs.