Central News, Press Room, Central Criminal Court,
Central News, Press Room, Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, LONDON, EC4.
Tel: 020 7236 0116.
Southwark Crown Court/By John Troughton.
eMail: news@centralnews.
co.
uk
http://www.
centralnews.
co.
uk
02 November 2000
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The jury heard on May 3 this year a band of four boys, including Podge and the defendant, went to play in the woodland in Gillingham.
They carried a selection of home made petrol bombs – and amused themselves lighting the rags stuffed into the necks of bottles and hurling them at a sheet of metal where they exploded.
Mr Johnson said: ‘Fortunately, in that incident none of the boys was injured.
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He said the defendant instigated the mischief, although his friends ‘joined in perfectly willingly.
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The bombs spent, the four returned to the garage at the defendant’s home to reload – and were joined by a 12-year-old – until then ‘grounded’ by his mother – who later bravely tried to help Podge when he was stricken in a sheet of flame.
Noticing his playmates faces were blackened and their clothes smelled of petrol, he too decided to return with his friends with the dangerous bombs.
All but the defendant and Podge scrambled over a fence – but the latecomer was to hear the commotion, turn and witness the attack.
Mr Johnson said left permanently scarred, Podge would describe three months after the horror in a short 20 minute interview the ‘defendant had tipped petrol over him and set him alight.
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The barrister said: ‘His recollection was it was a deliberate tipping of petrol over him.
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Meanwhile, the defendant had been seen by Podge’s aunt Debbie.
He is alleged to have told her: ‘Can you go and get Podge, he is on fire.
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The boy was next seen by Podge’s elder sister, telling her the youngster was ‘on fire’ and she needed to go to the social club.
Mr Johnson added: ‘Interestingly enough, he said ”someone has just chucked petrol over him”, repeating this on the journey to the club.
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He said when police went to the defendant’s home they found the boy ‘visibly upset.
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Asked what had happened, the defendant allegedly replied: ‘I was out with my friends and one of them was climbing over a fence.
He got his top stuck, he asked me to burn it off and it started burning.
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But within days, Mr Johnson alleges the story changed.
The defendant then claimed it was Podge’s trousers that were snagged, repeating that version in interview.
The youngster adding: ‘Podge asked ‘can you burn it off’ and all of a sudden there were flames and the others were shouting Podge is alight.
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Asked if he had thrown petrol, the defendant answered: ‘I didn’t throw nothing at him.
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I didn’t throw nothing.
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But Mr Johnson alleges it was not an accident or some ‘childish prank.
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ends/mfl
