Reece Brivitt, 32, has been sentenced to 11 years and nine months in prison for a shocking attack in which he set a woman on fire inside a flat in Stafford. The incident occurred on October 22 last year at a tower block on Milton Grove. Brivitt poured petrol and vodka over the victim before igniting her, causing life-changing burns to her chest and legs. The fire also posed a serious risk to other residents in the building.
Brivitt pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered. He was sentenced at Stafford Crown Court on September 16.
It has now emerged that Brivitt had a previous conviction related to firearms offences in Birmingham. In 2017, at the age of 24, he was jailed for seven and a half years after police conducted a pre-dawn raid at an address on Bedlam Wood Road, Northfield. During the raid, officers recovered a sawn-off shotgun loaded with a cartridge and additional ammunition hidden in a pink sock, along with a converted air pistol and an antique .22 single-shot handgun.
READ MORE: McDonald’s in Bassetts Pole Seeks Permission to Operate 24/7
READ MORE: Seventeen Babies Treated for Serious Complications After Circumcision in Birmingham
Brivitt and a 16-year-old companion, who received a three-year detention for firearms possession, were arrested during the operation. This raid marked the beginning of a series of events targeting members of the “61 gang”, named after the bus route bordering their Northfield territory. Several members of the gang were subsequently convicted of firearms offences and drug dealing.
Detective Constable Jessica Scott from CID South remarked on the latest conviction: “Brivitt subjected his victim to a cruel attack which has left her with life-changing injuries. Not only was the victim’s life at risk, but so were those of other residents in the flat block. Thanks to the swift intervention of Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, the fire was quickly extinguished, preventing further harm. We hope this sentence offers some closure to the victim and demonstrates our commitment to robustly tackling such offences across Staffordshire.”
Mark Walchester, Delivery Group Manager at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, added: “Our crews acted swiftly to minimise the risk to the residents and to ensure the fire was put out promptly. Fires in flat blocks and multiple occupancy housing can be devastating, so we are relieved that we were able to reduce harm during this incident.”