‘FEUD’ LED TO ARSON HORROR
Victim engulfed in flames in petrol attack –
A man who set fire to the father of two teenage boys whose skulls were stolen from their graves in a suspected feud between travelling families has been jailed for 10 years.
Daniel McCardle poured petrol into Sailus Price’s home through the living room window, which had been smashed by an accomplice, before throwing a flaming rag at him.
The 71-year-old, who was engulfed in flames from his waist to his head.
He was doused in water by his family as the fire spread through their home in Ferryhill, County Durham.
The offences are understood to be connected to a feud between travelling families in County Durham.
The feud has seen the skulls of Mr Price’s sons dug up and stolen from their grave in the cemetery in Metal Bridge, near Ferryhill, in November 2015.
The grave was the resting place of his son’s Levi and Gareth Price.
They both took their lives at the age of 16, Levi in 2001 and Gareth in 2005.
Those responsible for digunidentified ging up the skulls have never been caught, and there is no suggestion McCardle was involved in that offence.
Newcastle Crown Court heard how 28-year-old McCardle had been travelling in a Ford Mondeo car with two other men when they launched the attack on the victim’s home at about 10.30pm on July 29.
Jolyon Perks, prosecuting, told the court how the car pulled up outside Mr Price’s address before an male passenger got out, ran towards the address and smashed the living room window by throwing a brick through it.
Both Mr Price and his wife were in the living room at the time. McCardle then poured a liquid accelerant through the window into the living room.
The court heard how his wife described seeing him on fire from his waist to his head. Neighbours rushed to assist Mr Price and tried to help put the fire out.
Mr Price was taken to the critical care unit at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary with burns to 30% of his body and placed in an induced coma.
McCardle was arrested after a officer from Northumbria Police recognised him on Mr Price’s CCTV footage.
McCardle, of Coxon Street, Sunderland, admitted causing GBH with intent and arson with intent to endanger life.
Chris Knox, defending, told the court: “The defendant regrets that he got involved in this at all.”
“The defendant regrets that he got involved in this” CHRIS KNOX