Punjab-origin man jailed for arson in UK shopping centre
LONDON: Parvinder Singh, a Nottingham-based man who pleaded guilty to arson following a fire in a commercial centre in neighbouring Leicester in January 2019, has been sentenced to 34 months in jail, the Leicestershire police said on Thursday.
Singh, 28, admitted arson in the Belgrave Commercial Centre, which is a hub of Indian and Asian business. Shops were destroyed in the fire leaving owners, staff and the community devastated, the police said. No motive for starting the fire was disclosed.
While people were inside premises affected at the time of the fire being started, no one was injured in the incident. Soon after the police and fire officials were called to the site, it was clear that fire had been started deliberately, the police added.
CCTV showed a man with a bag sat on some crates in the area prior to the fire.
He was then seen to crouch over before standing up and walking off, noticing a flame coming from where he had been as he left. The fire was then seen to ignite on the CCTV and the man left the area.
The image of the suspect was issued in a public appeal and through leaflets which were handed out in the area asking for information. The inquiries led to Singh being identified and he was arrested in October last year.
Detective constable Gemma Allen said: “This was a devastating incident for residents, business owners and workers in the community. Businesses were completely destroyed and it is extremely fortunate that there were no injuries in the fire. Lives could have been lost on that night because of the actions of one man”.
“I hope this conviction helps those affected by Singh’s actions as they continue to rebuild from the devastation that was caused that night.”
SINGH, 28, ADMITTED ARSON IN THE BELGRAVE COMMERCIAL CENTRE, WHICH IS A HUB OF INDIAN AND ASIAN BUSINESS. SHOPS WERE DESTROYED IN THE FIRE