10 year old boy charged with criminal damage after arson attack
A 10 year old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged with criminal damage after causing £100,000 worth of damage at a college chapel.
The boy is one of the youngest people in Plymouth to have a criminal record.
Two older boys were given 12-month Youth Referral Orders and put on three-month curfews. Their families were each ordered to pay £1,000 compensation.
The boy admitted going into the chapel and setting light to tissue paper and setting ‘matchbombs’ – firecrackers made from match heads and a matchbox. He also admitted criminal damage to a fire extinguisher in the build-up to the blaze.
The boy’s father said: “He was with the wrong people at the wrong time. It is no excuse. We have tried to bring him up to do the right thing, but he has done a big wrong. He has suffered and we have suffered. Hopefully this will be the last time you see him in front of a court. This has been a big learning curve. We feel sorry for everyone involved. It has been an absolute nightmare for us, it really has.”
Presiding magistrate, Mr David Watson said: “You realise what a serious offence this is and the pain you have caused to your parents and a lot of other people. It is good to hear your parents do not want to see you back in court. Take what has been offered to you and learn from it and let’s hope we never see you again.”
Mitcham warehouse fire – Arson suspected
A fire which tore through a warehouse in Mitcham, is thought to have been started deliberately.
10 engines and around 50 firefighters were called to the fire at the Federal Express warehouse in Mitcham Industrial Estate, St James Road, at 4.45am on 13th February.
A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade said: “Around half of the first floor and part of the roof are on fire in the warehouse and offices.”
Paddington fire station manager, John Lalor said: “The initial crews were greeted by quite a fierce fire. They did really well to contain it to just the damage on the first floor. A security guard was here to allow them to enter from the ground floor. They used breathing apparatus and a thermal imaging camera and, as is usual in these situations, they had to crawl on their bellies while they navigated the building. “
An investigation is now being carried out to determine the exact cause of the fire.
Arson attack destroys Royal British Legion Club
The former Royal British Legion Club, in Penhill was severely damaged in a suspected arson attack on 10th February.
12 firefighters and 4 fire engines from Swindon Stratton attended the blaze in Downton Road at about 5.10am.
Royal British Legion members had voted to close the building 2 years ago due to financial problems but it was thought that the building could be used in some way by the local community.
Tim O’Sullivan who is a member of the Royal British Legion and keyholder of the venue, said: “We have already had several phone calls from people who are upset. At the end of the day, if anybody was to do anything with the building, there’s a lot of damage that’s been done in there by the fire so it’s more money to be spent before the doors could ever be opened. That’s the problem. Who is going to spend tens and tens of thousands of pounds to open a place? It could take them a long time to get their investment back. The Royal British Legion is a charity and they’re going to have to come and pay thousands of pounds more to get the place secured, otherwise the place might end up on fire again tonight.”
Local resident, Matthew Emery witnessed the fire and said: “I came past at eight o’clock this morning and there was a fire engine still here – the building was still smouldering. By all accounts, there were five fire engines but I only saw one when I came past. I’m not surprised the building was on fire. It’s been waiting to happen. I think if you leave a building long enough, it’s going to get damaged.”
An investigation into the cause of the fire is now being carried out by police.
28 year old man died in suspicious Bradford house fire
An investigation is now underway to determine how a fire which killed a young man in his Bradford home was started.
The victim was named as 28-year-old Amjad Hussain.
His uncle, Mohammed Shafiq, said: “A neighbour rang Saima at the school where she works and said her house was on fire. She ran all the way down but the firemen would not let her anywhere near. The neighbours told us when the firemen brought him out they would not even let the paramedics near him. They could only see his hands and they had all marks on them.”
The couple had lived at the house for about four years and have a young son.
Mr Shafiq added: “Saima is with her mother right now. She can’t get her head around what’s happened. The boy keeps asking for his daddy. She has been to the police station to talk to officers but none of us know what’s happened. They have told us it’s not just a fire death. There is more to it. They said there are circumstances they want to look at but we don’t know what they are. We have not been allowed back in the house and we have not been allowed to see him.”
Arson attack at Highway Maintenance site
A suspected arson attack has damaged several highway maintenance road painting vehicles in Slough. 25 highly flammable gas cylinders were also caught up in the blaze.
Firefighters attended the fire at Wilson and Scott Highways in Poyle Industrial Estate on 1st January at around 7pm.
Watch manager Pete Farmer said: “Liquid propane gas cylinders were exploding and venting off traveling distances of 25metres from the scene through the area. We had to use other buildings to protect ourselves because of the hazard of cylinders firing through the area.”
There were no casualties reported in the incident. An investigation into the cause of the fire will be carried out.