A serial firebug who waged war against the tranqui

A serial firebug who waged war against the tranquil Surrey village he grew to hate was caged for nine years at the Old Bailey today.

(FRI)

Steven Hooker, the self-styled ‘Beacon Hill Arsonist, launched a three-year reign of terror after he was excluded from school for cannabis possession.

The vengeful teenager, who was obsessed with the SAS, used army surplus flares to attack a series of blocks at the Woolmer Hill School in Hazlemere, Surrey.

The serial arsonist then vented his anger on four cars belonging to a local car enthusiast, and a convenience store close to his home causing more than pnds stlg 200,000 in damage.

The three year campaign finally came to an end last year just minutes after he dialled 999 from a telephone kiosk and bragged: ‘I’m the Beacon Hill Arsonist and I’m going to kill tonight.

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Judge John Rogers, QC, told Hooker: ‘I feel somewhat distressed to sentence a 19-year-old for offences which put you into the category of a serial arsonist.

‘Not only was the store destroyed, it is fortunate five occupants of apartments upstairs were able to get out without suffering any harm.

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Hooker was convicted by a jury of four charges of simple arson, one of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered, and one of threatening to damage property.

He had earlier admitted setting fire to a Citroen.

The court had heard that Hooker and his best mate were excluded from the Woolmer School in December 1997 after they were caught in possession of cannabis.

Three days later, on December 13, school caretaker Melvyn Bolt was awoken in the dead of night to find the Fire Brigade tackling a series of blazes around the premises.

A Coca-cola vending machine by the gym had even been set alight.

Mr Bolt then discovered one of the class-rooms ‘up in flames’ while the science and woodwork blocks had also been attacked.

Hooker himself reported the fire, which caused pnds stlg 11,000 of damage, telling the emergency operator he had smelt smoke.

‘It is the prosecution case that this was the beginning of his career as an arsonist,’ said Jonathan Davies, prosecuting.

‘These incidents happened within a short distance of Hooker’s home address.

Is this an area he resented? A resentment that built up as he grew up?

‘He was almost obsessed with the SAS and spent hour upon hour in this army surplus shop.

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Mr Davies said Hooker played a ‘cat and mouse game with the authorities’ and used flares as his ‘toys and playthings’.

Hooker, of Bramble Cottage, Beacon Hill Road, Hindhead, began experimenting with the flares and used one to torch the car of a local man he bore a grudge against.

‘The defendant spent many an hour at the Army Surplus store, befriended the owner and appeared to have a fascination for the army,’ Mr Davies said.

He bought several of the self igniting flares which were used in all the fires that followed.

Hooker singled out neighbour Mr Jay Budd because he had beaten him up after he stole his sister’s purse.

Car mad Mr Budd had parked his Morris Marina near Beacon Hill Road.

Hooker smashed the window and set it alight on the night of November 6, 1999.

Mr Budd then bought an Audi and spent hours painstakingly restoring it only to see it in flames in the same car park on March 14 1999.

A replacement Y-reg Daimler Sovereign was set on fire almost a year later on March 23, 2000.

The vehicle had been vandalised and windows smashed, while ‘swear words’ were scratched on the body work, Mr Budd told the trial.

Later the inside of the car was set on fire and was reported as a write off by experts.

‘That was my pride and joy.

That was the one I was most upset about,’ Mr Budd said.

Hooker was spotted when he attacked the fourth of Mr Budd’s cars, a Citroen Visa.

‘Perhaps tempting fate he parked the car in the same car park,’ said Mr Davies.

On April 26 last year the Citroen was also put to the torch.

But neighbours who heard the sound of breaking glass and the flare being set off saw Hooker ’emerging through the smoke.

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The most serious incident came on May 16 when he set fire to the local convenience store, causing pnds stlg 200,000 worth of damage and threatening the safety of resident living in upstairs flats.

Hooker smashed a widow and deliberately threw the burning flare at a display of barbecue lighters and fuel.

Smoke detectors failed in the flats above the shop and residents were only alerted when the store’s alarm sounded.

But the shop blaze was to be Hooker’s last.

A week later he called the emergency services again and said: ‘I’m the Beacon Hill Arsonist and I’m going to kill tonight.

‘I’m in a phone box in Beacon Hill and I’m going to burn people out of the shops.

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Police already suspected Hooker and were waiting for him when he returned home that night.

A phonetics expert later matched his ‘gravelly’ voice to both 999 calls.

Hooker was sentenced to five years for the store fire, 18 months for the school, 12 months for the three cars concurrent and 18 months for the ‘spine-chilling’ phone conversation, all to run consecutive.

The judge jailed him for nine months concurrent for the admitted car fire.

He was remanded to Feltham Young Offenders Institution.

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