A woman has been jailed for 25 years for trying to burn her sister alive in a "ruthless and breaktaking" bid to hide the theft of £139,000 from her family.
Cathy Bartlett, 30, lived a luxurious "fantasy" lifestyle as she committed fraud against her sister and stole over £40,000 from her father.
She gave her sister Rachael sleeping tablets and alcohol on 7 April, the night she set fire to their mother's house in Bartley, Hampshire.
Winchester Crown Court heard Bartlett torched the New Forest property to stop the fraud being discovered.
She stole the money while working as financial manager for her sister's company.
Remains of the house in Bartley, in Hampshire's New Forest
The judge, Jane Miller QC, told Bartlett her actions had been "completely ruthless"
"Quite frankly you are evil. You accepted in your evidence your behaviour was cunning, calculating and devious."
Bartlett was sentenced for attempted murder, 10 counts of fraud coming to £96,000, and one of theft for stealing £43,000 from her father.
Prosecutors said she had used the money to live a "fantasy of grandeur", including splashing out on expensive gifts and spending £20,000 on hospitality football tickets "with the aim of buying friends".
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