A WOMAN is facing a lengthy jail sentence after admitting responsibility for the death of her boyfriend in a fire at their home at Eccles, near Maidstone.

Kerrie Hogben denied murder and her guilty plea to manslaughter was accepted by the prosecution at Maidstone Crown Court. Sentence was adjourned until May 21.

Hogben stood trial on the charges in July last year but it was abandoned in mysterious circumstances while the jury was out considering verdicts. No reason was given.

The 32-year-old mother was later granted bail and then absconded from a London bail hostel. She was eventually arrested and held in custody.

Hogben, dressed in black and looking down at her nails, entered her guilty plea to manslaughter as the retrial was about to start.

Anthony Haycroft, prosecuting, said the evidence was a combination of a confession to her niece Haley Delaney to the effect that she did not mean to kill Matthew Thatcher, but only scare him.

“It is quite clear he died because, unfortunately, when the fire she accepts she set took hold he tried to escape and, by his own actions, unfortunately he barred his own way to safety,” said Mr Haycroft. “The Crown accept that that was never her intention.”

The case could have been put on the basis of murder, he said, but it was accepted that manslaughter would adequately deal with it.

Nicholas Price, QC, defending, said he was not requesting a pre-sentence report but the judge, Mr Justice Harrison, said he thought it would be desirable.

“I make it clear there will only be one sentence and that will be a lengthy term of imprisonment,” said Mr Price.

The trial in July heard that Hogben deliberately set fire to her boyfriend’s bed at their home in Victoria Street, Eccles, because she wanted to end the turbulent relationship and get him out.

The prosecution alleged that her reason for living with Mr Thatcher was for financial and accommodation reasons and not love.

The 28-year-old engineer died on November 23 2002 during a firemen’s strike from burns and smoke inhalation in his bedroom at the terraced house.

Hogben told an operator in an emergency call that Mr Thatcher was drinking and smoking in bed and was trapped and probably dead.

But she later confessed to her niece that she started the fire because she wanted to scare her boyfriend into leaving.

Hogben said in evidence that she was racked with guilt for not doing more to save him. She claimed she told her niece: “I might as well have lit the fire.” She added: “I could have said that meaning I didn’t help.”

She claimed she was sleeping on a couch downstairs with her young son when the blaze started. Asked if she had started it, she replied: “No, I did not.”

Hogben was remanded in custody until sentence.