Man, 27, admits guilt at blaze trial
AMAN admitted starting a blaze that destroyed a house as part of an insurance scam, a court heard.
Samuel Todd, of Spencer Street, Accrington, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit arson following a huge blaze at a terraced house in Claytonle-Moors, where he lived with his partner Natasha Housby, the jury was told.
Todd, 27, also admitted conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation but denies being reckless as to whether life was endangered.
Burnley Crown Court heard that the terraced end house on Cumberland Avenue in Clayton-leMoors exploded into flames after it was flooded with gas from the cooking hob and petrol was poured inside through a window.
Todd is standing trial with Ryan Ibbitson, of Selby Close, Baxenden, who was the partner of Ms Housby’s sister Kira Housby. Mr Ibbitson, 23, denies conspiracy to commit arson, conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and being reckless as to whether life was endangered.
Crown prosecutor Judith McCullough told the court that both defendants had been ‘heavily involved’ in the planning of the ‘ferocious’ fire which occurred around 2am on April 15, 2014, as part of an insurance scam to get the most ‘substantial payout’ for the contents of the house.
The jury heard the fire crew manager had ‘never seen a house fire like that they faced that night’, with all the windows ‘blown out’ and the house ‘engulfed in flames’.
Ms McCullough said: “It would be obvious to anyone involved in this foolhardy enterprise that it was an obvious and indisputable risk to the lives to all of those of Cumberland Terrace.”
The trial heard that on April 12 Todd reported that they had been burgled and investigating officers found the gate had been forced, a window prized open with a crowbar, knives stuck into leather sofas and the words ‘thieving scum, I’m going to burn you out’ scratched on the television.
Ms McCullough told the jury a neighbour saw Todd climbing into the house through a back window a few days before the fire, and the prosecution argue the burglary ‘set the stage’ for the next part of the plan.
The court heard that Natasha Housby had taken out a house insurance policy with AXA, around 2am on the day before the fire and later that day a neighbour witnessed Todd and Mr Ibbitson at the house throwing ‘30 to 40 bin lin- ers’ into three cars.
Ms McCullough said Todd and Natasha Howsby then travelled to Clitheroe with their children to stay with Kira and Mr Ibbitson.
Proceeding