Drunk man burnt down Barry pub and former newspaper office

Emergency services were called to reports of a fire at the old O’Briens pub on Holton Road in Barry on August 22 last year, prosecutor Thomas Stanway told Cardiff Crown Court.

South Wales Police officers arrived at the scene and found the flames had engulfed the front of the former Barry and District News office and the front of the pub – which was being renovated at the time ahead of re-opening as the Two Bells.

The officers also found a smaller fire in a bin outside Iceland across the road – which they extinguished.

Mr Stanway said an underground gas leak made it more difficult for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service to put out the fire.

Police searched the area and arrested Gareth Marsden, who matched the suspect’s description. Marsden had a lighter in his pocket and burn marks on his clothes.

CCTV footage showed Marsden lighting something and placing it into a large pile of rubbish outside the buildings. He then walked across to outside the Iceland store, before wandering down the street and sitting on a bench.

Mr Stanway said the pub underwent “extensive repairs” which cost the business around £70,000 and delayed the pub’s re-opening by a week.

The owner of the former Barry and District News office said the damages meant the building could no longer be used as intended, which led to a £250,000 grant being withdrawn. He said the repairs costs around £138,000.

Marsden made “full and frank” admissions to starting the fire when he was interviewed by police, and he later admitted arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

The court heard the 38-year-old defendant, of Cei’r Dwyrain in Barry, had no previous convictions.

Sol Hartley, in mitigation, said Marsden “struggled with alcohol and substance misuse” and this incident showed “evidence of the downturn in his life”.

“He lit a piece of paper that was on the pile of rubbish,” he said.

“He saw it as a meaningless act. Of course, it wasn’t.

“This incident is a result of drunkenness.”

Addressing the defendant, Judge Paul Thomas KC said: “Your act of senseless vandalism last August in a commercial street in Barry had huge repercussions for several people.

“Quite why you did something so utterly senseless, or mindless, has never been explained.

“The public house had to be repaired. The neighbouring premises was also badly affected.

“On any view, the financial costs, let alone the human costs, were very significant indeed.”

He jailed Marsden for three years and four months.