Worksop man burnt his uncle’s caravan home to the ground after argument in pub

James Morton became "argumentative and insulting to his uncle, and his uncle's partner and friends," after downing six pints of lager, at the Woodhouse Inn, on Tranker Lane, Rhodesia, on March 1, said prosecutor Freddie Sail.

When bar staff refused to serve him his uncle ushered him outside and arranged to meet him at his caravan shortly afterwards.

He thought they parted on good terms and he went back into the pub where he was bought another pint.

A short time afterwards he got a phone call to tell him that the carvan, where he lives on and off at his timber yard business premises, was ablaze.

The fire caused a “large amount of damage in the region of £14,000” which included £5,500 of timber, and £3,000 of uninsured tools.

Mr Sail placed the offence in the upper end of the culpability guidelines which has a starting point of 18 months in custody.

“It seems to be motivated by what happened in the pub as clearly the defendant went straight to the property and set it on fire,” he added.

Mr Sail said the case should be committed for sentence at the crown court despite Morton’s previous good character and prompt guilty plea.

“It's quite fortunate his uncle wasn't present in the caravan at the time,” he said. “In his statement he says he has been living there on and off to act as a security guard. Around £9,500 in cash was also on the premises.”

Pari Seeley, mitigating, said no planning was involved as they parted on good terms and Morton arranged to meet his uncle at the caravan.

“I don’t suppose we will know why the caravan was set on fire,” she said. “It was committed on impulse.”

She argued the case could be dealt with by magistrates.

Morton, aged 24, care of Plantation Hill, Worksop, admitted arson, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Tuesday.

He was bailed to Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing, on condition he doesn't contact a number of named witnesses, on January 30.