A former barrister has denied setting fire to her hotel business in Teignmouth the day after making threats to burn it down.
Shirley Bothroyd, aged 59, appeared at Exeter Crown Court by video link from Eastwood Park prison near Bristol, which she described as HMP Butlins in a recent letter to the Mid-Devon Advertiser.
Bothroyd, of the Bay Hotel, Teignmouth, denied threatening to destroy or damage property on August 22 this year and arson, being reckless whether life was endangered on the following day at the hotel in South View, Teignmouth.
Judge Geoffrey Mercer, QC, adjourned the case and set a timetable for the exchange of prosecution and defence cases and trial date of January 29, 2018.
Bothroyd was remanded in custody.