Latest news with #arson
BBC News
16 minutes ago
- BBC News
Slough man denies terror and arson charges at leisure centres
A man will face trial in October next year charged with terrorism offences and arson attacks on two leisure centres and a bomb Akhtar, 20, of Cress Road, Slough, Berkshire, is charged with one count of preparing terrorist acts and a separate count of possessing information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of is further charged with arson attacks at Slough Ice Arena on 14 May and Salt Hill Activity Centre in Slough on 31 Akhtar is also accused of causing a bomb hoax directed at an Asda supermarket in Telford Drive in Slough on 9 May. The defendant appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday by video-link and spoke only to confirm his name and barrister Gavin Holme indicated that he will be pleading not guilty to the judge, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb, set a provisional trial date of 19 October next year at Woolwich Crown Court with a time estimate of four weeks in front of a High Court Akhtar's next appearance will be a plea and trial preparation hearing on 31 October this year at which the trial date will be defendant was remanded in custody. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Devastated owner of $15million Toorak mansion destroyed in 'suspicious' fire points the finger: 'Petrol all over it'
The devastated owner of a $15million mansion destroyed in a 'suspicious' fire says he is scratching his head over who may have started the blaze. Gerry Hoggard, the boss of building company Sperway Homes, has been left heartbroken after his Toorak home went up in flames about 12.20am on Friday. Mr Hoggard has already spent millions renovating the mansion, which he bought for $7.1million in 2021, with three years of hard work destroyed in just minutes. The renovations marked the first time the construction boss, who has been in the industry for over 45 years, has ever built a home for himself. Mr Hoggard claimed petrol had been poured 'over every floor and every room'. 'I don't know who would have done it,' he told The Australian. 'But I can tell you that by the extent of the fire, and knowing how it's built, somebody has put accelerant all over the building.' It's understood nobody was living in the property on the exclusive St Georges Road while the renovations were underway. Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) said the response was escalated after crews arrived to find smoke and flames coming from the two-storey house. It took firefighters an hour to bring the blaze under control with the building sustaining significant structural collapse due to the intensity of the fire. The cause of the blaze will be investigated by FRV specialists and Victoria Police. 'Investigations are ongoing into the exact cause of the fire, which is believed to be suspicious at this stage,' police said in a statement on Friday. 'An arson chemist will attend the scene this morning.' Mr Hoggard is the owner and managing director of Sperway Homes, which has locatons in Sydney and Melbourne, and Extension Factory. Anyone who witnessed the fire has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
ABC News
11 hours ago
- ABC News
Childers Palace Backpackers arsonist Robert Paul Long not being considered for parole
The killer responsible for a deadly hostel fire that claimed the lives of 15 people almost 25 years ago is not being considered for parole because he is considered a "restricted prisoner". Robert Paul Long was sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 20 years for setting fire to the Childers Palace Backpacker Hostel in Queensland on June 23, 2000. There were 88 people inside, mostly young travellers visiting Australia from overseas. Many of them woke to loud cracking sounds and the smell of fire, and frantically crawled through the thick smoke holding onto each other as they escaped. But fifteen people — nine women and six men — were tragically killed. Long, who was 37 at the time, was tracked down days later hiding in bushland, where he attacked a police officer with a knife. The officer drew his firearm and shot at Long, who was injured in the ear before he was finally arrested. Two years later he was convicted of arson, as well as the murders of Australian twins Kelly and Stacey Slarke. Since then he has been confined to the walls of Wolston Correctional Centre, but has made multiple attempts to be freed. Long made an application for parole, but the president of the Queensland Parole Board must decide whether to make a restricted prisoner declaration before he is considered for release. A declaration can vary in length, but could mean he would not be able to apply for parole for up to 10 years. "The parole application is not being considered while the restricted prisoner matter is determined by the president," a statement from Queensland Corrective Services said. A decision on the declaration will be made after victims have been given time to make submissions.
The Sun
11 hours ago
- The Sun
Bumbling ‘arsonists' who try to set fire to a house accidentally set their getaway car ablaze as they try to escape
THIS is the shocking moment a trio of aspiring arsonists accidentally torch their own getaway car. Security footage from southern Australia shows a clumsy man dousing a house with a liquid - before his escape plan goes up in smoke. 4 4 In the video released by South Australia Police, three men are seen pulling up at night outside a fenced-off building in Port Pirie - around 124 miles north of Adelaide. One of the suspects jumps out of the car and begins dousing the home in Solomontown with liquid from a container. Police said: 'As seen in the footage, three male suspects had attended an address in Young Street and doused the front of the residence with accelerant.' Liquid can also be seen spilling onto the pavement as the man carelessly pours out the flammable substance. He then grabs another container from the car, tipping it onto the same area. The man gets back inside the car as the trio make their escape. Suddenly, the inside of the car bursts into flames and begins to roll forward. The three bungling men can be seen bolting out of the car on both sides. Police said the men 'ran off, abandoning the car in the street'. They added: 'It is extremely likely they have suffered significant burns or injuries in the fire and police urge them to seek medical attention. 'Anyone with information about the identity or location of anyone involved in this incident is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers immediately.' Moment naked PT chases down arsonist who set fire to three cars on his drive in middle of the night When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered the burning car and another fire burning at the front of a nearby home. Both fires were put out using a fire extinguisher. The people inside the house were not injured, although the outside was charred by flames, according to police. It comes as a personal trainer chased down an arsonist after three cars were set on fire outside his house in May. Mike Hind, 41, captured the blaze on his Ring doorbell in the dead of night as his children were sleeping peacefully. The gym coach, who lives in Middlesbrough, posted the footage on social media. A man dressed in joggers can be seen splashing petrol across each of the vehicles, including a Range Rover and Mazda sports car, parked in the driveway at midnight. The vehicles caught fire instantly, with flames spreading across the drive. The doorbell footage then shows an undressed Mike running out of the house as the arsonist, in a black checked shirt, runs from the scene. 4
Washington Post
15 hours ago
- Washington Post
New York police search for a suspect and a motive after 11 police vehicles are torched
NEW YORK — A man suspected of torching 11 New York City police vehicles in Brooklyn last week — the first of two such arson attacks in the last week — was previously arrested at pro-Palestinian protests and is wanted for damaging a statue at Columbia University last fall, police said. The NYPD on Wednesday released photos and a video of the suspect, a 21-year-old man from New Jersey, and asked the public for help finding him. He remained at large as of Thursday. Police are also investigating whether he is also responsible for attempting to set fire Wednesday to a police van in another part of Brooklyn. In the first attack, police said, a man climbed over a gate around 1 a.m. on June 12 and placed fire starters on the windshields, hoods and tires of multiple vehicles in a police parking lot about a block from a police station in Brooklyn's Bushwick neighborhood. The man then fled on foot, police said, citing surveillance video they said placed the 21-year-old suspect at the crime scene. None of the vehicles were occupied and no injuries were reported. On Wednesday, police said, a fire starter was found on a police van parked outside a diner in Brooklyn's Williamsburg section. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said the device was similar but not the same brand as the ones used in Bushwick. After last week's fire, Mayor Eric Adams suggested that the suspect was connected to protests in Los Angeles , New York and elsewhere over the Trump administration's immigration enforcement agenda. Police, however, have not made that connection. The suspect has two pending criminal cases in the city, according to court records. On May 28, he was arrested in Manhattan and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest for allegedly obstructing traffic and refusing to move. In May 2024, he was arrested in Queens and charged with assault and resisting arrest. He has pleaded not guilty in both cases. He has yet to be charged in the arson attack or the Columbia University vandalism last September. There, Kenny said, he disguised himself as a student and caused over $1,000 of damage to a campus statue.
