Nottingham railway station fire: Woman admits arson Published duration 7 August 2019

image copyright British Transport Police image caption Gemma Peat started the blaze in the women's toilets at Nottingham railway station on 12 January last year

A woman has admitted causing a major fire which caused £5.5m worth of damage to a railway station.

Gemma Peat, 34, started the blaze in the women's toilets at Nottingham station on 12 January 2018.

Nottingham Crown Court previously heard 10 fire crews were needed to bring the fire under control as it ripped through the building.

Peat, of Wilford Crescent East, admitted one count of arson and will be sentenced on 13 August.

She had previously denied arson with intent to endanger life and a charge of arson being reckless as to whether life is endangered, but has now pleaded guilty to arson at a pre-trial hearing.

image caption Ten fire crews were needed to bring the blaze under control

Det Sgt Shanie Erwin said: "This was a long and particularly complex investigation, which was made even more difficult by the fact the CCTV hard drive was very badly damaged in the blaze.

"As a result we spent many months working with specialist forensic teams to recover this essential evidence and present it to the Crown Prosecution Service.

"It has been a long wait for justice for those in Nottingham and I am pleased to see Peat change her plea to guilty today. The damage and disruption that her reckless behaviour has caused to the rail industry and those who use it is simply staggering."

The main entrance to the Grade II-listed station had only recently been refurbished before the fire.

The station had to close and trains, trams and buses across the city were cancelled or disrupted for much of the day.

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