A man who destroyed his childhood home in a massive explosion after wrongly believing he had been cut out of his late father’s will has been jailed for more than four years. Darren Davies, 55, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court after admitting arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered. The explosion, which happened on 27 March 2026 at a detached bungalow on Carr Lane, Hambleton, near Blackpool, left the £260,000 property devastated and placed nearby residents at serious risk.
Petrol Poured Through House
The court heard Davies poured petrol throughout the bedroom and loft before lighting a candle, triggering a powerful explosion which caused the roof to collapse and scattered glass and debris across the surrounding street. Neighbours reported hearing a huge blast shortly before 9.50am, before thick black smoke engulfed the property. 
Davies emerged from the burning bungalow uninjured and reportedly told a passer-by:
“My family want the house. If I can’t have it, no-one can.”
Firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading to neighbouring homes. Investigators later discovered three gas cylinders inside the bungalow, along with petrol in the loft, concluding the fire had been deliberately started using an accelerant.
Mistaken Belief Over Father’s Will
The court heard Davies believed he had been excluded from his late father’s will and that his brother, Craig Davies, had secretly inherited the property. However, prosecutors said this belief was entirely false. In a victim impact statement, Craig Davies explained that both brothers had been left equal shares of the bungalow by their parents and that there had never been any secret will. He told the court his brother had become convinced there was a conspiracy against him after their father’s death.
Family Memories Destroyed
The explosion destroyed almost everything inside the home, including family photographs, jewellery belonging to their parents, childhood diaries and personal possessions collected over decades. Craig Davies told the court:
“Everything I owned in the house had been incinerated.”
He described feeling overwhelmed by the scale of the loss but praised the support shown by neighbours and the local community in the aftermath of the incident.
Mental Health Considered
The court heard Davies has a long history of mental health difficulties, including bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety and autism spectrum disorder. A psychiatric assessment concluded he was suffering an “autism crisis” at the time of the offence, with his responsibility substantially reduced by his mental disorder. Defence lawyers said Davies had intended to take his own life during the incident and had made significant progress while receiving treatment in custody.
Four-Year Prison Sentence
Judge Philip Parry described the case as both “sad and serious” before sentencing Davies to four years and four months’ imprisonment. The judge said the offence had placed numerous lives at risk, despite nobody being physically injured. Following the sentencing, Joanne Close, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said:
“Nothing can replace the memories and belongings lost in the home. The impact on his brother has been life-changing.”
The court heard compensation issues relating to the destruction of the property and its contents will be dealt with separately.
Originally published by UKNIP.
