A GRANDMOTHER from Cheltenham has spoken of her torment at the hands of an arsonist who she claims made her life "hell" through a campaign of harassment and deceit.
Jill Fishlock, of Shurdington Road, has been forced to go into hiding after ex-partner Christoff Joachim set fire to his own car and then told police she could be the person responsible.
A judge found Joachim, of Coopers Court in Charlton Kings, guilty of arson and fraud for his part in the crime in court last week. But Ms Fishlock, 55, claims being implicated in a car blaze was one of many incidents involving Joachim, who she says developed a bitter grudge against her after she turfed him out of her home.
She claims he was repeatedly seen by neighbours hanging around outside her house and suspects he was responsible for a series of mean pranks and threats against her family.
Speaking exclusively to the Echo, Ms Fishlock said she had gone into hiding for fear he might try to track her down.
She said: "He is an evil, manipulative man and I'm glad to see he has got what was coming to him.
"I was so upset that he tried to blame me for setting fire to his car. Anyone who knows me knows full well doing something like that would never enter my head.
"That man made my life hell over the last couple of years. I hope now it's finally over."
The arson and subsequent fraud took place following a souring of the relationship between the pair, who had been together between 2006 and 2010 but separated after Joachim left her for another woman.
But, after he and his new girlfriend split and he was undergoing treatment for throat cancer, Ms Fishlock took pity on him and let him use her spare room until September 2011, when she told him to leave. From then on, she said, she was subjected to a series of mean pranks.
The petrol tank of her car was twice filled up with water and also had paint stripper poured on top of it. She suspected the incidents, which were reported to police, were down to Joachim but has no way of proving it.
She added: "I'm glad in one sense that this has all come to light because it's out in the open and people can finally see what kind of a person he is.
"I just want him out of my life and away from my family. He preys on people's goodwill and I should never have taken him back in."
The pair met for a coffee on the day of the arson, then he sent abusive messages to her, begging her not to have his car "done over".
She urged any women in unhappy relationships not to allow themselves to be victimised.
"If you're in a relationship where you're being abused or manipulated, you've got to get out," she said.
At Gloucester Crown Court last week, the prosecution said Joachim set the car on fire in the parking area outside his home in January 2012 because he wanted to get a better vehicle from Motability. In evidence, he admitted he had told police a "load of lies" about the crime.
He was released on bail for a pre-sentence report and assessment by a psychiatric nurse and is due to return to court for sentencing on July 9.
He was warned if he went near Ms Fishlock in the meantime, he would be locked up.
