Man jailed after deliberately setting car on fire

A man has been jailed for deliberately setting a car alight in Leek in 2022.

Lee Bould, aged 41, from Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, denied arson but was found guilty following trial at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Thursday (9 January).

The court heard how Bould had been on Southbank Street in Leek at around 11pm on 19 November 2022 where a blue Seat Leon and a Ford Puma were parked.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to the location a short time later and both vehicles were found burnt out.

The cost of the damage to the vehicles was estimated as being around £22,500.

Fire investigators were initially unable to determine the cause of the fire as both cars were severely damaged.

However, our CCTV inquiries showed Bould at the scene, crouching by the Seat prior to it being found alight, with the fire then spreading to engulf the Ford.

Bould was initially arrested on 1 December 2022 and released under investigation while we continued to gather evidence.

We arrested him again at the end of the month and he was later charged.

Bould denied starting the fire in interview and pleaded not guilty to arson in court.

However, he was found guilty following trial and sentenced to two years and one month in prison.

He previously admitted failure to surrender to bail.

Speaking following sentencing, Sergeant Joshua Slack, who was the officer in charge of the case, said: "Bould caused significant financial harm to the owners of the vehicles and had a total disregard for public safety when he set the Seat alight.

"The fire quickly spread to the Ford, and if it wasn't for our colleagues at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, it could have spread further to properties and endangered people's lives.

"Thankfully, no one was hurt.

"I am pleased the jury found Bould guilty and hope his sentence reassures the community that he will be behind bars and no longer posing an arson risk."

Leigh Richards, Lead Fire Investigator at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “I hope this result shows people that, if they are intent on setting fires; risking public safety and wasting our firefighters valuable time, they will be dealt with robustly and we will work with our policing colleagues to ensure they have all the evidence they need to bring offenders to justice.”