A man was sentenced to four years in jail after admitting to setting fire to a barn near the Somerset border. Liam Jones, 29, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on April 22 for arson.
Shortly after the incident on January 24, Jones called the police and confessed to setting fire to the barn on Quarry Lane in Bratton, Wiltshire. He pleaded guilty at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on January 25.
Local crime investigator Maria Doyle described the arson as “reckless and dangerous” and highlighted the significant financial loss to the farmer, as well as the impact on the animals' feed.
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In a statement read out in court, the affected farmer detailed the stress caused to young cattle due to the smoke, potential long-term health damage, and the cost of lost feed and bedding, estimated at £25,000.
Following his release, Jones will be on licence for three years and was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £228.