UK- 'Vigilante arsonists' rock housing estate

8-5-2009 United Kingdom:

SUSPECTED vigilante arsonists put neighbours' lives at risk when they torched the empty home of a couple being investigated for historical child sex offences.

Firefighters were called to a mid-terrace two-bedroom house at Sawyers Court, Clevedon, just after 11pm on Sunday.

The couple who lived there and have been arrested on suspicion of child sex offences, had been moved by police after a series of escalating attacks on the house.

When fire crews arrived at the home, owned by Raglan Housing Association, it was well alight and people living in the neighbouring properties were evacuated. Some needed hospital treatment for smoke inhalation.

The couple, believed to be from London, had lived at the property for the last year and it is understood they moved to Clevedon from Long Ashton.


It is not known whether they are still living in the North Somerset area.

A police spokesman said: "I can confirm that a 62-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of child sex offences. Both have been released on bail pending further inquiries.

"An investigation into the fire has been launched."

This is not the first attack on the house – over the last month, windows and doors have been smashed and the windows of a car parked on the drive kicked in.

On Sunday night, a group of people were seen scrambling over the back fence of the property.

Police were at the house, which had been taped off, throughout Monday.

David Robinson, 55, lives next door with his wife and two sons.

Both his wife and 13-year-old son had to be taken to hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation.

Mr Robinson was watching football on Sunday night when he heard a commotion outside.

The ex-serviceman, who is registered disabled, said: "We saw smoke coming into our house so got our pets and what valuables we could out of our house.

"My wife and son had to go to hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation and we got home at about 4am.

"Luckily we only suffered smoke damage and our property was not badly affected by the fire.

"If this had happened in the early hours when people were asleep the fire could have spread quickly and someone could have been killed."

Other people living in Sawyers Court said police had visited properties on the estate last month to tell them that the couple had been moved from the property.

Mum-of-one Samantha Halliday, 28, said: "I am really shocked this has happened as generally it's a very quiet neighbourhood."

Investigators from Avon Fire and Rescue and the police's scenes of crime unit were at the property yesterday morning carrying out a fingertip search of the house to assess how the blaze was started.

Fire crews from Clevedon and Nailsea were called to the blaze at just after 11pm and found the ground floor well alight.

Crews had to force their way into the property, breaking down the front door, and four firefighters took nearly an hour to extinguish the blaze.

Ian Hanstead, director of housing operations at Raglan Housing Association, said: "The house was empty at the time of the attack. Our immediate concern is for our residents who live in the adjoining properties and were taken to hospital as a consequence of the fire.

"We are liaising with the police and our residents while this matter is investigated."

A 47-year-old woman and two men, 34 and 45, have been arrested, questioned and subsequently released on police bail pending further investigations into the fire. ..Source.. by ThisIsSommerset.com