British millionaire and pro golfer Francis McGuirk narrowly escaped prison for reportedly setting his family home on fire to prevent his wife from claiming it following their split.

According to reports from a recently concluded trial, McGuirk was accused of arson to the $1.4 million house in Sandwich, Kent in the United Kingdom.

It’s alleged that the 50-year-old locked himself inside the house he shared with his estranged wife while she was out and snapped the keys inside the locks before texting her about his intentions.

“Sarah was at a dinner party on the night of the incident. Knowing the address would be empty, the defendant let himself in,” Prosecutor Caroline Knight told the court.

“He locked the doors before snapping the keys in the locks from the inside. He first tried to start a fire using some cooking oil, which didn’t take, so he then set fire to some cushions in the living room using lighter fluid.”

Firefighters who were summoned to the burning house noted that they found McGuirk outside acting bizarre, refusing treatment for minor burns and seemingly wanting to go back inside. 

Despite arguments of malicious intent by the prosecution, the Judge noted that his actions were more of an attempt to take his own life and, as such, ruled a two-year suspended sentence.