Ipswich – Woman jailed for attempted arson

A 22-year-old woman has been jailed after she attempted to start a fire in an Ipswich support centre last year, while there were other people present.

Kerri Keen-Watts, of Carr Road, Felixstowe, appeared before Ipswich Crown Court on Friday 8 May, where she was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. 

Keen-Watts had previously pleaded guilty to the following two offences: attempted arson with intent to endanger life; and sending a communication threatening death or serious harm.

In addition, she had a five-year restraining order imposed, which prohibits her from a number of things including: entering the road where the centre is located; attempting to contact any of the workers who were impacted; attending any other buildings used by the support provider without prior agreement; and possessing any item in a public place capable of starting a fire, or producing a naked flame.

The incidents occurred on Thursday 30 October, when at around 11.20am Keen-Watts attended a premises in Museum Street, gaining entry by claiming to have an appointment and masking her identity.

Keen-Watts had been banned from this premises due to a previous incident and once inside she was recognised and asked to leave.

At this point she produced a bottle containing a clear liquid and began spreading it over the floor whilst threatening to “light them all up”, before making multiple attempts to ignite matches – which all failed.

One of the support workers managed to intervene and disarm Keen-Watts of the box of matches, but she continued to pour liquid and tried to light a second box of matches before leaving the building.

The liquid was later tested and found to be ethanol, which was deemed to be flammable and readily ignited with a naked flame.

Shortly after this, Keen-Watts sent text messages to a youth worker who was based at another location. These included messages saying: “YOU’RE NEXT”, “AND THIS TIME IT’LL WORK”, “COULDN’T LIGHT MATCH AT (other location), THEY PRESSED PANIC ALARM.”

Keen-Watts had previously expressed a desire to burn down the building where this person worked with herself and others inside.

Officers located Keen-Watts around an hour after the incident in Museum Street and arrested her. She was charged the following day and made her first court appearance on Saturday 1 November.

Detective Inspector Tristram Singh, of South CID, said: “Kerri Keen-Watts’ actions on that day were incredibly dangerous and had she been successful in igniting any of the matches the consequences could have been very serious.

“The swift actions of the workers at the premises should be commended, as they undoubtedly helped prevent her from completing her attempts to start a fire.

“The fact Keen-Watts then left that location and immediately sent threatening messages to another person at a different building, demonstrates her clear intent to cause harm and distress to multiple people.”

Photo via - https://www.suffolk.police.uk/news/suffolk/news/news/2026/may/ipswich--woman-jailed-for-attempted-arson/