Blackburn man jailed for fire attack on caravan park

Tag : caravan shoes


A MAN responsible for an arson attack at a caravan park after a rowwith a relative who lived there has been jailed for two years.
James Young, 21, took a taxi to the Blackburn caravan park andpoured a line of petrol from outside the passenger door to thegates of the compound and lit it, Preston Crown Court heard.
Young, of Ewood Caravan Site, Aqueduct Street, Blackburn, ended upwith one of his shoes on fire in the attack.
He pleaded guilty to arson and being reckless as to whether lifewould be endangered.
Mercedah Jabbari, prosecuting, told the court that at 9.20pm onMarch 23 Young had bought a can and £5 worth of petrol at theservice station on Preston New Road.
The attendant who felt intimidated allowed Young to use his mobilephone to call a taxi Young asked to be taken to Eden street andgave directions to the driver, Tajammul Raja, who could smellpetrol.
On Appleby Street Young asked him to stop and the compound could beseen with caravans in it.
He then poured the petrol telling the driver: "Don't move or I'llfire you."
Mr Raja saw the defendant light something in his hand, reach downand set fire to the end of the petrol.
" He was scared and frightened and saw the defendant tip morepetrol on to the flames," said Miss Jabbari.
"The can was on fire and Young kicked it in the air, got into thecar and said "Go, go, quick go."
Miss Jabbari said the park had caravans where children lived withtheir families .
Young's relative, Billy Booth, also lived there. Flames were comingfrom the pavement outside the compound and were extinguished withthe use of buckets and a hose.
"It had been lucky no damage was caused," said Miss Jabbari.
She said Young had been drinking and there had earlier been anargument with Mr Booth.
Young was traced from CCTV at the garage.
Joe Boyd, defending, said: "Drunkenness can produce bizarrebehaviour."
Young had been drinking all day and it was 24 hours before he wassober enough to be interviewed by police.
Mr Boyd said he was from a close knit family and his father was apastor with the Evangelical Church.
Judge Simon Newell told Young the taxi driver had been worried hiscar may go up.
"It is very very fortunate that nothing more drastic happened thanthe petrol burning in the street," said Judge Newell.