Eighty-year-old woman set on fire in Watford; man arrested

Summarised from 6 outlets · 8 reports · Updated 14 Nov, 19:44 · Archive

An 80-year-old woman was set alight in a block of flats in Watford on Monday and remains in critical condition; a 33-year-old man has been arrested and released on bail.

An 80-year-old woman was found on fire in a first-floor communal area of a block of flats in Watford on Monday afternoon at approximately 12.47pm. Brenda Raymond suffered life-threatening injuries and was rushed to hospital, where she remains in a critical condition.

Police believe Raymond was attacked as she returned home. They say a flammable liquid was sprayed on her before she was set alight. Detectives are treating the incident as an attempted murder and have named it Operation Tibbin.

A 33-year-old man from Watford was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life. The Evening Standard reports that he has since been released on bail with strict conditions, whilst detectives' enquiries continue.

In a separate development, police are investigating an incident where accelerant liquid was poured through the letterbox of a nearby flat. Detectives have not officially linked the two events. Police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously between 10am and 3pm on Monday, or anyone wearing a face covering or balaclava, or running from the scene or from nearby woodland.

Raymond's family issued a statement saying they were in 'complete shock' and were 'desperate for answers'. They described her as 'beautiful, chatty, fun-loving and much-loved' who enjoyed keeping fit and dancing. In their appeal, they said: 'Someone out there knows something. They know what happened to Brenda. We simply cannot understand why anyone would have wanted to hurt her in this way.' The family asked for privacy to be respected during this 'unimaginably difficult time'.

Detective Inspector Adam Bridges from the Major Crime Unit said the attack was 'appalling and deeply distressing'. Police are urging anyone with information, footage or knowledge of the incident to contact them via their online portal, by calling 101 quoting Operation Tibbin, or anonymously via Crimestoppers.

How it is being reported

• Family of 80-year-old woman set on fire reveal ‘catastrophic’ injuriesBrenda Raymond, 80, is currently in hospital with ‘catastrophic injuries’ after she was set alight outside her flat in Watford (Picture: Family Handout/PA) An 80-year-old woman is in a critical condition in hospital after she was set on fire outside her flat. Brenda Raymond is suffering from…Metro · 14 Nov, 19:39
• Stunned family appeal for witnesses as 'fun-loving' woman, 80, fights for life after being 'set on fire'Brenda Raymond, 80, was discovered alight in a first-floor communal area of her block of flats in Caractacus Cottage View, Watford, on Monday.Daily Mail · 14 Nov, 19:04
• Family of Watford woman set alight ‘desperate for answers’ after attackAppeal for information comes after Brenda Raymond, 80, was set on fire outside her flat on Monday The family of an elderly woman who was set on fire outside a block of flats in Watford have said that they are “desperate for answers”. Brenda Raymond, 80, was found set alight outside her flat on Caractacus Cottage View on Monday. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where she is in critical condition. Continue reading...Guardian World · 14 Nov, 17:59
• Family of 80-year-old woman who was set on fire are ‘desperate for answers’A 33-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life, has since been bailed, police said.Evening Standard · 14 Nov, 16:02
• Man arrested after 80-year-old woman was ‘set on fire’Hertfordshire Constabulary has released an appeal for further information after the ‘appalling’ attackThe Independent · 13 Nov, 16:59
• Man, 33, arrested after woman, 80, is 'doused and set on fire' outside her homeBrenda Raymond, 80, was found on fire in a first-floor communal area of her block of flats in Caractacus Cottage View, Watford, on Monday.Daily Mail · 13 Nov, 14:48
• Man arrested in connection with attempted murder after 80-year-old woman set on fireA 33-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life in connection with an attempted murder investigation. The man, from Watford, remains in police custody following the attack on 80-year-old Brenda Raymond. Ms Raymond was found still alight and suffering horrific burns on the first floor of a communal area of a block of flats in Caractacus Cottage View on Monday afternoon. The 80-year-old sustained life-threatening injuries, Hertfordshire Police said, and was rushed to hospital. Ms Raymond remains in a critical condition following the…GB News · 13 Nov, 14:41
• There’s no such thing as coincidence – the fire attack on poor Brenda Raymond brings back memories of an unsolved murderA wise old detective once told me: "There’s no such thing as coincidence." As I read about the horrific attack on 80-year-old pensioner Brenda Raymond, which occurred in Watford this week when she was sprayed with flammable liquid and set alight, the words of my former colleague chimed with me louder than ever. Right now, Brenda is fighting for her life in hospital, and Hertfordshire Police are hoping the public will come forward and help them. There were many factors about the attack on Brenda that my mind immediately went back to another vicious attack that occurred in Borehamwood, a town…GB News · 13 Nov, 06:01

In this story: Brenda Raymond · Watford · Caractacus Cottage View · Hertfordshire Police · Major Crime Unit · Detective Inspector Adam Bridges

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