AN ARSONIST WHO STARTED THREE FIRES IN LESS THAN A

AN ARSONIST WHO STARTED THREE FIRES IN LESS THAN A WEEK
CAUSED MORE THAN #2,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO A COUNCIL RUN HOSTEL
A COURT HEARD ON THURSDAY.

ALL THREE BLAZES WERE STARTED DELIBERATELY AT THE TOWER
HOUSE HOSTEL IN FIELDGATE STREET, STEPNEY SAID MR JONATHAN TECKS
PROSECUTING.

A JURY AT SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT HEARD THAT THE SERIES
OF FIRES STOPPED AFTER ALLEGED ARSONIST ANTHONY BURROWS
CONFESSED TO HOSTEL STAFF.

AFTER THE THIRD ‘SUSPICIOUS’ BLAZE BURROWS ALLEGEDLY
ADMITTED ‘I STARTED THE FIRES.

IT WAS ME I DID IT,’ SAID
COUNSEL.

WHEN POLICE OFFICERS WERE CALLED BURROWS SAID HE WAS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BLAZES AND THOUGHT HE WOULD HAVE LIT
ANOTHER THAT NIGHT ALLEGED MR TECKS.

THE COURT HEARD THAT A BIN, PILES OF RUBBISH AND A
MATTRESS WERE USED TO START THE FIRES.

BUT IN EACH CASE SPEEDY ACTION BY THE HOSTEL STAFF AND
THE FIRE BRIGADE MEANT THAT THE 430 BED HOSTEL RUN BY TOWER
HAMLETS COUNCIL WAS EVACUATED SAFELY.

THE TOTAL DAMAGE TO WALLS, FLOOR COVERINGS AND DOORS AT
THE HOSTEL AMOUNTED TO #2,600 SAID COUNSEL.

DURING A POLICE INTERVIEW BURROWS WHO HAD BEEN LIVING AT
THE HOSTEL SINCE OCTOBER 1985 ALLEGEDLY SAID HE HAD STARTED THE
FIRES TO ‘GET EVEN’ AFTER SOMEONE STOLE SOME OF HIS BELONGINGS.

BUT BURROWS WHO DENIES HE WAS RESPONSIBLE CLAIMS HE
COULD NOT HAVE STARTED THE FIRES BECAUSE HE WAS NOT IN THE HOTEL
WHEN THEY TOOK PLACE.

AT THE TIME WHEN EACH BLAZE WAS LIT HE HAD BEEN
DRINKING IN A PUBLIC HOUSE NEARBY.

BURROWS, 36, UNEMPLOYED DENIES THREE CHARGES OF ARSON ON
JANUARY 16, 18 AND 21.

THE TRIAL CONTINUES.

ENDS
OK THATS IT