Denise Welch has revealed she feared she was going to be ‘burned alive’ after her stalker set hearth to her residence.
Toraq Wyngard, 53, was convicted final September of stalking inflicting critical alarm or misery to the actress, 63, between September 2020, and February 11 final 12 months, and was sentenced to seven years and 7 months in jail earlier this month.
Now Denise has detailed the horrifying incident to The Solar, and the ‘scarring’ after-effects of her ordeal, admitting she feared he was making an attempt to kill her.
Terrifying: Denise Welch has candidly mentioned her terror that she and her household would die after her stalker set hearth to her residence
She mentioned: ‘We thought he was making an attempt to kill us. It was simply terrifying. It would not bear excited about.’
She defined that the night time of the blaze, she was awoken by her husband Lincoln Townley screaming as flames erupted outdoors their £800,000 residence.
They have been alerted by a woman who had pushed previous, who Denise says with out whom, she ‘might not have been right here as we speak.’
Stalker hell: Toraq Wyngard (pictured), 53, was convicted final September of stalking inflicting critical alarm or misery to the actress, 63, between September 2020, and February 2021
They instantly referred to as the fireplace brigade and watched as the fireplace grew and melted the storage, whereas the look forward to the companies felt like ‘ceaselessly’.
Safety footage confirmed Wyngard circling a skip in entrance of the home earlier than setting it alight, inflicting £4,285 of harm.
He was arrested by police close by that night time and located to be carrying a four-inch kitchen knife in his backpack.
The couple have been compelled to attend to see if Wyngard could be locked up, and she or he opened up on her concern that he would attempt one thing once more.
She mentioned: ‘It was totally terrifying and for six months it fully modified the way in which I lived my life. All I may assume was, ‘Why, why, why, why is he doing this to me and my household? What have I ever carried out to that man?’.
Courageous: Now Denise has detailed the horrifying incident to The Solar, and the ‘scarring’ after results (pictured in April with husband Lincoln Townley)
Denise defined she suffered from nightmares and sleepless nights, whereas continually being on edge.
She admitted: ‘I am not a nervy individual by nature — I might at all times felt secure in my very own home — however when somebody units hearth to your property, it adjustments you ceaselessly.’
Wyngard returned to Denise’s residence the next February and broken a backyard gate and daubed it in graffiti – writing in marker pen the phrases ‘witch’ and ‘pimp’ and an upside-down cross.
At Wyngard’s sentencing, Decide Michael Leeming mentioned his actions had impacted the couple and brought on them ‘alarm and misery’.
The choose additionally imposed a restraining order, stopping Wyngard from coming into Wilmslow or approaching the couple or doing any analysis into their personal lives.
Gareth Bellis, prosecuting, advised the court docket that the fireplace service had attended the property on the night time of the blaze after the couple had been alerted by a member of the general public ringing their doorbell.
The fireplace – believed to have been began utilizing an accelerant – was quickly extinguished however there had been a danger of the fireplace spreading and ‘creating a considerable amount of poisonous smoke’ and inflicting ‘critical damage or loss of life’.
Scarred: She admitted: ‘I am not a nervy individual by nature — I might at all times felt secure in my very own home — however when somebody units hearth to your property, it adjustments you ceaselessly’
Wyngard, Bellis advised the court docket, had claimed the knife he was carrying was used to chop flowers whereas two cameras – additionally in present in his backpack – have been utilized in his press photographer position.
Throughout police interviews, Wyngard – who has a historical past of psychological sickness together with bi-polar dysfunction – denied being concerned and answered no remark to questions.
However he admitted a cost of stalking the ex-Hollyoaks actress and inflicting critical alarm or misery between September 18, 2020 and February 1, 2021 and a listening to in September.
He additionally admitted costs of arson, possession of a bladed article, and legal harm.
However on the day he was initially on account of be sentenced, in October, final 12 months, he indicated he meant altering his pleas – inflicting a delay within the case.
A choose was then compelled to apologise to Denise for attending court docket ‘unnecessarily’ as a result of the sentencing didn’t go forward.
The case dragged on since then however a choose lastly rejected Wyngard’s utility to vacate his pleas at a listening to final month.
Denise and Lincoln appeared through videolink at court docket to ship sufferer influence statements.
She mentioned Wyngard’s actions has left her ‘terrified’ and she or he would ‘always remember what occurred’ and now not felt secure in her residence or strolling the close by store.
‘It is terrifying to assume what may’ve occurred if he gained entry,’ she mentioned.
‘It terrifies me to assume any person may have been able to committing this act. He may’ve brought on critical damage to me or my household and simply walked away as if nothing had occurred.
‘It is modified my life. I’ve a beautiful life however this man has completely scarred it.’
Lincoln mentioned his household meant ‘every part to him’ and never having the ability to defend them had left him ‘offended’.
He added: ‘I really feel offended that somebody I do not know has focused our residence and I do not really feel secure within the place the place I ought to really feel secure.’
The court docket heard the couple have since upgraded their safety at at value of £2,000 per 30 days.
Louise Bellis, defending, mentioned Wyngard, who had a earlier conviction in 2005 for capturing two individuals with a BB gun, had suffered from bi-polar points following the loss of life of his accomplice in 2004.
The TV character has beforehand spoken of the heavy toll Wyngard’s harassment has had on her household.
‘This has been an extremely terrifying and irritating time for me and our household,’ mentioned Denise.
‘We’re grateful to the fireplace service for his or her immediate motion saving our home and to the police for his or her wonderful vigilance and help.
‘Particular thanks go to the Hurt Discount Unit assigned to us who’ve guided us by this horrible time each step of the way in which.’
Disappointment: Denise Welch and her husband Lincoln attended Chester Crown Courtroom in October anticipating to see Wyngard jailed, however he tried to vary his plea
