Welder whose party ‘mischief’ caught fire in the pub

A welder who set a pub on fire after participating in a “stupid” Christmas party “mischievous” has been sentenced to suspended prison.

Owen Close, 49 -year -old Tony button of Campston helped another drinker in December 2022 to put a real Christmas tree on an open fire inside the Green Man in Clofil, Bedfordshire.

He accepted arson with the intention of endangering life and was sentenced to two years in jail for 20 months in Luteon Crown Court.

Judge Ross Johnson told button, who said that he was “embarrassed”, that mischief “was a” monument form stupid “and” disastrous “went wrong.

The judge ordered a button to complete 250 hours’ unpaid work and take a £ 1,000 prosecution cost bill.

He told the button, which also works as a security guard: “It is an opportunity to show that it was a moment of madness that would not be repeated.”

Barrister David Earl, the prosecution told the judge that the button and Ian Chalmers had put trees on the fire of Grade II listed pub during the Christmas party on 21 December 2022.

The building set fire and a hospital established a “major event” operation.

Judge Johnson heard the statements of two people who suffered injuries.

Emergency workers said Nine people assessed at the scene And eight were taken to Bedford Hospital.

The firefighters had said that half the building was damaged by the fire and the rest of the heat and smoke were damaged.

Local people say that the pub has not opened again.

Campton, 66 from Bedfordshire, Chalmers, A was given Two years suspended jail sentence By a judge in Luton Crown Court in May 2024.

He had negligent arson with negligence as to whether life was in danger.

His sentence was suspended for two years and was ordered to do 200 -hour community work.

Barrister Siara McLevog, who represented the button, told Judge Johnson that his client was “in a drink” and “deeply embarrassed”.

He said that the button, who initially requested not to be guilty, had taken a “sick” decision to join the prank and was “deeply embarrassed”.

“This was definitely not the intention of the defendant to be injured,” he told the court.

“The defendant did not incite it.”

He said: “MR button is a hard -working family person.”

Miss McLevog said that the button had tried to get the tree out of the fire and helped people to leave the pub as Blaze caught.