Man jailed for four years for setting fire to a barn in Bratton

A man has been sentenced to four years in prison for deliberately setting fire to a barn in Bratton.

Liam Jones, 29, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on April 22 for arson.

Jones called police shortly after committing the offence at around 3pm on January 24 this year, admitting that he had set fire to the barn on Quarry Lane. He pleaded guilty to the offence at Swindon Magistrates Court on January 25.

Once released from prison Jones will remain on licence for three years. He was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £228.

In a statement read out in court, the farmer said, "The impact that this has had on me and my business has been vast. The fire caused stress to young cattle that were housed in the adjoining building to where the fire was. The cattle were affected by the smoke, and some developed a cough caused by the smoke. This may also have long-term health damage to them and may even cause restrictions to their growth rate.

"Due to the fire, I had to find alternative housing for the cattle, which proved to be an enormous task, as they were of different age groups and I had to mix male and female cows together.

“My main barn has completely burnt down which housed all my feed that I required until Springtime. This included around 300 feed bales and 30 more large bales of straw, which was needed for bedding. The estimated cost of the lost feed and bedding was around £25,000.

“The whole incident has caused huge stress to my family and especially my two young children, who were extremely upset to see the aftermath of the fire and the impact that this thoughtless and inconsiderate act has had on my family and my business."

Local crime investigator Maria Doyle said, "This reckless and dangerous incident of arson has caused a significant financial loss to the farmer as well as causing issues with feed for his animals.

"This was a serious offence that could have easily gone out of control.

“Tackling rural crime remains a priority of Wiltshire Police, and we will not hesitate in bringing charges to court.”

You can report to Wiltshire Police by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.