Blackpool arsonist who set gardens ablaze as he walked his two dogs around resort has been jailed

Brandon Terrance Eccles, 23, of Fairway Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to three counts of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered, a further two arson charges, and possessing cannabis.

Eccles used a naked flame to set blazes in people's gardens as he walked his pets around Blackpool in February and March, and in one case sparked four fires in three hours, Preston Crown Court heard.

When he was arrested, officers found a small cannabis farm of around 30 plants at his home with a £1,950 street value.

Judge Beverly Lunt ruled multiple people, including firefighters who had to attend the fires, were endangered by his actions, and expressed concern at his lack of explanation and apparent "lack of insight".

She said: " For some reason in February and March you decided to set fires first to a shed, and then on four occasions on this particular night in March trees and bushes in people's gardens.

"The clearest evidence of what the effect of what you did was shown on CCTV.

"The size of the fire and how fast it spread was alarming, you could see the sparks rising.

"You carried on walking, then you did in fact come back and watch for a little while, and then went off back to your house with your dogs.

"That fire which was big and quick, was very, very close to a building in which children were asleep at the scene of that house."

David Traynor, prosecuting, said: " On February 14, at around 6.20pm, a fire was discovered in the grounds of a house on Marcroft Road in Blackpool. The occupier of the house, Barrie Hage, was away at the time.

"A neighbour, Gary Millard, heard a loud bang which shook his whole house and found that the shed of the property directly backing onto his own was alight. This shed was in close proximity to his own conservatory. Mr Millard was told that the fire brigade had already been called and so he started trying to extinguish the fire from his garden.

" The fire brigade extinguished the fire, which completely destroyed the shed. Crew Manager Les Watling says that it was likely only the weather conditions which prevented the fire spreading to the house in the same garden as the shed.

"The fire had spread to the property of Mr Millard and the conservatory roof could easily have caught fire, it was pure luck that greater damage was not caused. The fire and smoke were a risk to the lives of those within Mr Millard’s property."

Footage from a nearby property showed Eccles in the area with his two dogs, looking through the front door. The signs of the fire became visible around 15 minutes later.

On another evening, at 9pm, victim Oliver Holbrook, was at his home on Bridgehouse Road when he heard a crackling noise.

He looked outside to find a conifer tree - 5 ft from property - was alight next to his car, which he had to move out of the way.

He and neighbours tried to fight the fire until the fire service attended.

On March 7, a shaken couple on Hatton gardens woke to find a large tree had been burned away.

Later another man was alerted by neighbours to a tree alight in his front garden, below the bedroom of his young children.

The leaves were touching the front window, and the young family had to be assisted by neighbours to throw water at the fire.

The court heard footage showed Eccles walking his dogs and going into the garden, before stepping back "admiring his handiwork".

Eccles also torched a palm tree on Daggers Hall Lane, while a mum and her three-year-old son were in the house.

Mr Tarynor said they were disturbed by a "bright light" from the blaze, which started five foot from the house but was close to a pile of wood placed there for renovation work.

He added: "In her statement she said while the fire was ongoing she was in panic as her son was asleep in bed, and she was terrified the house was going to catch fire."

The following day Eccles was seen close to one of the scenes, showed interest in why police were present and kept asking what had happened.

Officers later recognised him on CCTV.

Defending, Richard Archer said Eccles' father had written a letter to the court.

He referred to his learning difficulties, and told the court Eccles "functions at an age younger than his 22 years".

He added: "The offences speak for themselves in one sense - they have to because the defendant can give no explanation or rationale for why he offended in that way.

"There is no evidence of premeditation. This took place on the same evening as a part of a crime spree."