A former police officer systematically plundered her girlfriend's bank account then nearly burned her to death in a house blaze.

Tracey Burt spun an incredible web of lies over four years, claiming her mother, brother and sister had all died tragically.

She also set up 25 bogus internet characters who she used to manipulate her Home Office lover and steal up to £50,000 in cash.

Once, when victim Jackie French, whose job was to tag criminals, asked her to leave, Burt pretended she had meningitis to buy her more time.

A court heard that as the lies spiralled out of control Burt, 33, decided to burn the couple's home down as Ms French lay in bed.

Ms French, who became trapped, only escaped thanks to fireman neighbour Anthony Julyan who used to a ladder as she prepared to jump from a window ledge.

Yesterday the two women came face to face for the first time since the fire three years ago when Burt appeared at Lewes Crown Court.

In a dramatic scene, the ex-Sussex police officer, broke down and sobbed in the dock as she apologised to her former partner who sat feet away in the public gallery.

Burt admitted arson while being reckless as to endangering life as well as four charges of theft and one count of deception.

Judge David Rennie adjourned sentence for a psychiatric assessment but warned Burt she still faced going to jail.

Burt, of Harpers Road, Newhaven, who is now moving to Hove, was bailed until March 5.

She faced the judge when she made her public apology, while Ms French, 36, sat behind her.

Burt said: "I just want to say I am very sorry for my actions and for the trouble you have been through since and any harm I have caused you and stress.

"I would not do anything to knowingly hurt you.

"I don't ask for forgiveness and I just ask you to accept my apology. If there was anything I could do to turn back time and rectify it I would."

Burt, a Sussex police officer from 1996 to 2000, has admitted stealing thousands of pounds from Ms French during their four year relationship.

She also deceived a former boss who ran a private investigation company when she bought the business but failed to pay the full agreed price.

She lied by claiming members of her family had all died.

Burt also took money from Ms French's bank accounts.

The charges she has admitted total about £23,000.

Burt was arrested following the fire on January 2, 2005 at Oaktree Farm Cottage, in Spithurst Road, Barcombe, which the couple had rented for nearly a year.

On the morning of the blaze Burt got up and told Ms French she was taking the dogs for a walk.

Ms French, a Home Office field care officer, was lying in bed when she heard a loud bang that shook the house.

She suddenly realised the house was on fire.

She ran to the stairs but she was unable to get to the ground floor because the fire was already engulfing the rooms.

She returned to her bedroom and crawled on to the window ledge and shouted for help. She was preparing to jump for her life when Mr Julyan, a part-time fireman, rescued her with a ladder.

Burt, who had returned to the house, and Ms French sat together drinking hot, sweet tea at a neighbour's home discussing how the fire had started.

But minutes later Burt was arrested by suspicious officers and later accused of starting the blaze with petrol.

It was later that day that Ms French herself began to question her life with Burt.

She quickly realised a "friend" she had been communicating with on the internet called Katie, was in fact, Burt.

She soon found out that money was missing and estimates she lost about £50,000.

As she struggled to come to terms with what had happened, she left Sussex and returned to live with her father in Devon, with no job and all her savings gone.

After the hearing Ms French told The Argus she felt no anger but pity for her former girlfriend.

But she admits it took her a long time to get over the fact she nearly lost her life in the fire.

She said: "I felt I could have died. It is only down to luck."

She said when the police told her Burt had been arrested she was "completely and totally shocked."

She said it then began to dawn on her what had been going on.

She said: "I still don't really know why she set fire to the house. I presume she thought if I died no one would know about the money she had stolen from me.

"She completely emotionally manipulated me and other people. She told me so many stories and lies.

"Everything she told me was a lie, even her age.

"There was always something happening, someone dying. Everytime I asked her to leave she would create a drama, once she said she had meningitis.

"Because she was an ex-police officer I trusted what she said to me. She could fool anyone.

"Now I look back and I feel very gullible. It is very clear now what she was doing.

"She had been on the internet pretending to be about 25 different people. She created whole groups of people who didn't exist."

Ms French said she felt anxious before the court appearance but the apology meant nothing to her.

She said: "I didn't feel anything when I saw her. I just felt pity she has to live her life like that."

Ms French said she did believe Burt deserved to go to jail.

She said: "I just want justice. I lost my home, my job and my life savings. I could not work because of the stress and anxiety. I lost my trust in people for about 18 months.

"The first couple of years were hard but it has got easier.

"Life has moved on but I don't feel justice has been done yet."

Ms French added: "I wonder who else she has conned and who she is conning now. She is so believable."

Ms French praised the police officers in the case.

Detective Constable Mark Ford said: "Ms French's life was in danger. She had a very lucky escape. It is down to the quick actions of her neighbour and herself for getting to the window."