'Disgraceful' Wellingborough arsonist jailed for attack on packed Nottinghamshire home

A Wellingborough arsonist who poured petrol through a house’s letterbox and set it alight has been jailed for two years and six months.

Kevin Hughes, 40, was armed with a jerry can filled with fuel when he approached a house filled with ‘multiple’ people in Garratt Avenue, Mansfield.

Before pouring the fuel onto the doormat, he then spent several minutes leaning against a garden gate outside and even waved at a CCTV camera – before walking up the path.

After tipping the petrol into the home he deliberately set the mat alight, before fleeing back up the garden path without making any attempts to put it out.

Detective Constable Amy Renshaw, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Hughes’ actions in the early hours of that morning were incredibly reckless and put everyone inside that property at significant risk of harm.

“This was an incredibly serious incident that could have quite easily led to catastrophic consequences – not just for the people inside the house but those in neighbouring properties too.

“Thankfully, the fire didn’t spread far and nobody suffered any injuries, although Hughes would’ve had no way of knowing that was going to be the case when he fled from the scene.

“It really should go without saying, but this kind of disgraceful behaviour has absolutely no place within our society, so we’re pleased to see Hughes has now been put behind bars for his actions.”

The incident took place at around 4am on July 6, 2023, with the homeowners waking up a few hours later to discover their front door had been damaged.

Hughes, who was known to the house’s occupants, was arrested the following day, after being identified by the clothes he was wearing, his tattoos, and his ‘walking style’.

Following a police investigation supported by Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, he was charged with arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered.

Having already pleaded guilty to this, Hughes, of Wellingborough, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday (February 20).

He was sentenced to two years and six months in prison.

The East Midlands Fire Investigation Dog team were able to find positive samples from two separate addresses found by Ginny, the force’s hydrocarbon sniffer dog.