Blyth beach hut arsonists did more than £23,000 of damage, court hears

Shaun Dowson, encouraged by lookout Lewis Boyle, torched three beach huts in 2020, causing extensive damage to the tourist attraction.

Newcastle Crown Court heard it was at around 11pm on January 16, 2020 that the "significant local landmark" came under attack and suffered £23,397 of damage, which resulted in its temporary closure.

The multicoloured huts, built in 2017, are a popular destination for tourists and families enjoying a day at the beach. They contain deckchairs and a kettle, which make them a perfect place to relax and enjoy the scenery.

Boyle was identified from forensic evidence from a drinks carton left in the area and from CCTV.

The court heard a fire report showed glass in one hut had been broken before it was set on fire and the flames then spread to the two huts either side.

Judge Amanda Rippon said: “There was substantial community damage caused to an important focal point to the community, a tourist attraction in fact.

“Arson is an extremely serious offence, extremely dangerous. Fires get out of control.”

Dowson was previously given a suspended prison sentence at youth court at an earlier hearing over the blaze.

He appeared at the crown court on Monday, February 19, along with Boyle, as they also faced other charges, including Dowson causing a woman to drop in terror from a third-floor window and suffer serious injuries.

The woman was at her boyfriend's flat in August 2020 when they heard men shouting from outside the door. Dowson and three others forced entry to her flat next door and they thought her boyfriend's flat would be next, so tried to barricade the door.

She was concerned they were associated with men to whom her boyfriend owed money and who had threatened to chop him up, so she hung out of the third-floor window.

Prosecutor John Hobley said: "When she heard the front door being forced she let go and let herself drop to the ground.

"She feared she would be chopped up, had she not escaped from the flat."

The court heard she suffered a broken and dislocated foot, a shattered heel, broken ankle, snapped pelvis, and broken coccyx, and was told she would require a wheelchair for six to 12 months while she recovered.

Referring to a victim impact statement, Mr Hobley said: "She was bed-bound for nine months, including two months in hospital, and required complete care from her parents and had no dignity.

"She took a further four months to re-learn to walk and needed a mobility scooter. She still has regular night tremors and has constant pain and believes that will continue for the rest of her life. Her right ankle and foot bones have fused, limiting her mobility.”

Dowson, 20, of Dalmatia Terrace, Blyth, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm on the woman who jumped from the window and two offences of criminal damage to flat doors.

He was previously given a suspended sentence at the youth court for the beach huts arson.

For the GBH and criminal damage, he was sentenced to two years suspended for two years with 180 hours unpaid work.

Boyle, 23, of Hartburn Walk, Kenton, Newcastle, who has no previous convictions, admitted two counts of arson in relation to three beach huts and a car.

He also admitted separate offences of dangerous driving and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and while uninsured.

He was sentenced to 22 months, suspended for two years, with 160 hours unpaid work and an 18 month driving ban.

Shaun Routledge, defending Boyle, said he was "something of an observer" in relation to the arson but Judge Rippon said he was a lookout and gave Dowson, who was younger, encouragement to start the fire.

Mr Routledge added: “He did not have the best start in life and he appears to be easily led.”

Kate Barnes, for Dowson, said Dowson had an unhappy childhood and added: "He has moved out of Blyth and is no longer associating with the people he was when he was offending. He is a young man not without promise.”

The court heard he is remorseful for the injuries suffered by the victim of the GBH. Both men have stayed out of trouble since the offences.