A NEWPORT arsonist who urinated in the back of a police car following her arrest for torching a van has been jailed.

Victoria Williams, 36, of Bristol Street, appeared via video link and faced charges of arson, criminal damage, possession of a class A drug and supplying a class C drug.

Newport Crown Court heard how Williams set fire to the van parked outside a takeaway on Livingstone Place in Newport in June of last year, believing it belonged to a man she had argued with.

Prosecutor Nuhu Gobir said that following her arrest, she asked officers if she could go to the toilet, but after she was told that she could go at the station, Williams threatened to urinate and defecate in the police car.

He added that she then proceeded to urinate in the car, and when she arrived at Newport Central Police Station, she continued to act in an unruly manner, committing a sexual act and spitting at police officers after being strip-searched. A small amount of heroin was found on her during the search.

Defending, Nigel Fryer said that the defendant acted on impulse in committing the arson, and felt remorse for her actions and would use her time to better herself while in prison.

In relation to the charge of supplying a class C drug, she appeared alongside Dale Roche, 38, of no fixed abode, Rizwan Ashraf, 24, of Gordon Street, Newport and Mohammed Hussain, 19, of Hawthorne Fosse, Newport.

The court heard how, two days prior to the arson incident, Williams was caught smuggling 22 Subutex capsules and 35g of Spice – a synthetic form of cannabis – into Parc prison, Bridgend.

Roche, who was serving a prison sentence at the time, received the package from Williams during a visiting session.

Hussain was confirmed to be the driver of the car that took the defendants to the prison, while Mr Ashraf sent messages via text into the prison to confirm delivery.

All four pleaded guilty to the charges for supplying class C drugs.

Williams received a total sentence of two years in prison for four charges - 20 months for arson, 28 days for criminal damage, two months for possession of a class A drug and four months for supplying a class C drug.

Roche was sentenced to eight months in prison, while Hussain was sentenced to nine months as the court heard he had previous convictions relating to drug offences.

Mr Ashraf received an eight month prison sentenced suspended for 18 months for his role in supplying the class C drugs as well as 180 hours of unpaid work.