Jailed after North Wootton barn fire killed horse
A NORTH Wootton man whose "sheer recklessness" with a discarded cigarette caused a barn fire, £28,000 worth of damage and the death of a horse, has been sent to a young offenders' institution for eight months.
Steven Shackcloth (20), of 50 Priory Road, had been "quite drunk", Norwich Crown Court heard on Friday.
He admitted arson and being reckless as to whether the barn, and stables, were destroyed or damaged, the incident taking place on January 31 this year.
Prosecuting, Stephen Poole said it was 1.30am when fire officers found the barn at Marsh Lane, North Wootton, ablaze.
The horse which died was in a stable in the barn. Other horses were present but in fields.
Shackcloth had gone on a bike ride with a friend, said Mr Poole, adding the defendant had also been drinking.
"They sat on a hay stack and Shackcloth had a cigarette and flicked it away.
"A fire started and he could not put it out.
"His friend phoned the fire brigade on a mobile phone."
Shackcloth was not aware there was a horse in the barn, said Mr Poole. The owner had had the animal – worth 2,000 – for 14 years.
Mitigating, William Carter said Shackcloth had drunk about nine cans of beer and was "quite drunk".
"It was sheer recklessness," he said.
Shackcloth and his friend had both been feeling low that night and cycled up a farm track, disturbing no-one.
Mr Carter said Shackcloth had "no intentions of doing it".
"Both of them tried to put out the fire, but it was too quick for them and they had to retreat themselves."
The incident had had "a significant affect" on Shackcloth who was a "thoroughly decent young man" who had suffered an accident while an agricultural worker.
He said Shackcloth's parents suffered from ill-health and relied on him.
Judge Simon Barnham told Shackcloth although he had had no intention of causing loss, there were "serious features". He had been drinking heavily and was "quite drunk".
"You were also trespassing late at night and caused considerable damage.
"You behaved in an irresponsible way and custody is inevitable."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North
