A 54-year-old man from Fenton has been sentenced to prison following a destructive fire spree across Stoke-on-Trent earlier this year. Tony Stockdale pleaded guilty to four counts of arson, one of which posed a risk to lives.
On April 23, a wheelie bin outside Longton Snooker Club was set ablaze, with oil used to fuel the flames. Two days later, at 9pm on April 25, a large commercial bin was torched near The Wheatsheaf pub on Church Street. Early on April 26, a bin fire near Tesco Express on Hartshill Road caused damage to a nearby fence. Later that day, multiple fires broke out in alleyways and bins on Boothen Road, Cranmer Street, and Gerrard Street.
Stockdale was sentenced on 12 November at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court to five years and four months in prison for arson with intent to endanger life. He received concurrent sentences for the other fires and will face an extended licence period of two years and eight months following his release.
Police praised the swift investigation that led to Stockdale’s arrest. CCTV footage quickly identified him, and although he remained silent during police interviews, he admitted all charges in court.
Sergeant Colin Hitchins of Staffordshire Police said: “Stockdale carried out a substantial and targeted series of arson activities that put himself and the wider public at risk. I’m pleased he admitted his offending and that the judge saw fit to impose a considerable jail term.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
