Dad fled house before thug set fire to his car

A man who owed a drug debt said he was coerced into setting fire to four cars by his dealer who was carrying out revenge attacks against former girlfriends. The defendant set fire to three cars in south Wales after travelling to Berkshire to torch another vehicle.

Thomas Scammell, 27, used an accelerant to set fire to the four vehicles, which included a Mercedes, a Seat, a Renault and a Nissan. The arsons took place late at night when the cars were parked on their owners' drives or outside their home.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday heard been purchasing cannabis from his dealer but built up a debt which left him beholden to him. 

It was claimed by the defendant he was coerced into carrying out the arsons on two of his dealer's ex-girlfriends' cars, and those belonging to their friends and family.

In his sentencing comments Judge Paul Hobson said: "What followed was an utterly lawless campaign of fear carrying with it considerable danger to other properties, other houses and other vehicles."

The first arson took place on April 25 last year when Scammell drove to Newbury and, using an accelerant, set fire to his dealer's ex-girlfriend's Renault Clio.

The next day the victim received a threatening message from the dealer and she spoke to Scammell on the phone who described himself as the "guy who gets s**t done".

The next arson took place on May 2 and involved the destruction of a Seat Leon. The third arson, on May 18, involved a Nissan Micra being torched.

The final incident took place on June 26 when a Mercedes Sprinter belonging to the dealer's ex-girlfriend's father was set alight. The victim was not home as he had already left due to fear caused by earlier arsons.

Scammell, of Clos Helyg, North Cornelly, Bridgend, was later arrested and pleaded guilty to four counts of arson. The court heard he has previous convictions from when he was a youth.

In mitigation Rose Glanville said her client had been threatened by the dealer to carry out the arsons and had his car damaged as well as his partner's vehicle.

She said the dealer messaged the defendant: "You owe me a debt, if you don't do it I'll also have your car burnt." Ms Glanville said her client did not carry out the arsons for money but out of fear.

The barrister said the defendant is responsible for caring for his partner and his three children and since his remand in custody his mother died which had left him distraught.

Sentencing, Judge Hobson said: "You knew what you were doing and knew it was designed to instil fear." Scammell was sentenced to a total of four years and six months' imprisonment with the judge not finding the defendant to be a dangerous offender.