Mark See: monster son jailed for life for setting his mum Sandra See alight in devastating Gorton house blaze

A Manchester man who murdered his own mother by dousing her in petrol and then starting a devastating fire in their house will spend more than two decades behind bars.

Mark See was given a life sentence with a minimum of 21 years for the murder of his mum Sandra See at Manchester Crown Court on Friday (25 February).

The 34-year-old made no attempt to contact the emergency services and fled the scene of the blaze he had started in Gorton, finally being tracked down by police hours later.

As he was sentenced and put behind bars police called his actions “remorseless” and described the case as “devastating”.

What did Mark See do and what punishment has he been given?

Investigators from Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Support Unit found that See had consumed a large amount of alcohol during the evening of 13 July last year.

He then became drunk and abusive towards his mother, Sandra See, 63, and his fiancee who was eight weeks pregnant at the time.

He then momentarily went into the rear of the property on Darras Road and returned with a six-pint milk bottle that contained petrol for their lawnmower.

He set the premises alight, starting the blaze in the living room.

He made no effort to contact the emergency services and fled the scene in his works van.

He was traced hours later in a church yard on Sunbank Lane, near Manchester Airport, with burns to his hands and feet.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue arrived on scene shortly after 2.30am but sadly Sandra was dead and so badly burnt that she had to be identified by a metal plate inserted in her leg.

See earlier pleaded guilty to his mother’s murder and on 25 February a judge sentenced him to life with a minimum of 21 years to be spent behind bars.

What has the Crown Prosecution Service said?

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said See threw the carton of petrol at Sandra as she sat on the sofa after she had declined to drink whisky with him and refused to give him money to go and buy more alcohol.

His partner heard the whoosh of the petrol setting the property alight and fled the house to call for help.

The CPS said See was in the foetal position when he was tracked down.

Anthony Stanway, a senior prosecutor for the North West for the CPS, said: “Mark’s See’s unbalanced reaction to a petty argument was to set fire to his own mother in this most horrific of cases.

“He denied he intended to kill her and that he only threw the petrol and had a lighter in his hand to shock her following their argument.

“However we presented evidence to the jury which discounted his version of events and the jury agreed with the prosecution case that he did in fact intend to kill his mother or at the very least he intended cause her really serious harm when they found him guilty of murder.

“While nothing can bring Sandra See back, I hope this sentence provides some sense of justice to her family and friends. Our thoughts remain very much with them at this time.”

What have the police said?

Senior investigating officer Phil Reade from GMP’s Major Incident Support Unit, said: “This was a truly devastating case where See’s remorseless actions cost his mother’s life.

“Our thoughts are with Ms See’s family who are still coming to terms with what happened. Throughout the trial they have sat with dignity whilst listening to the evidence of how their mother met her horrific death before the jury returned a guilty verdict.

“Sandra was murdered in her own home by her son who callously doused her in petrol, setting her alight and then fled from the scene as fast as he could but was tracked down by police and arrested.

“Throughout the trial he lacked the courage to face up to his actions causing further pain and distress to his family, but I hope today’s sentencing brings them some comfort and justice for the death of their beloved mother.”