Two men who poured petrol through a window before setting a Wigan flat ablaze have been jailed.
In the early hours of 21 March 2018, police were called to Ormskirk Road in Pemberton to the sight of towering flames.
As firefighters were tackling the inferno that encompassed the entire flat, their suspicions about how the blaze started turned increasingly towards third party involvement.
Having taken over the case to understand the circumstances of how the fire started, officers from Wigan CID were able to present evidence to the court that proved Teejay Logsdon (24/11/89) of Whitworth Street, Manchester and Bradley Finch (05/07/98) of Hampden Place, Wigan were the people the occupants of the flat had heard kicking at the rear door, attempting to gain entry.
Unsuccessful, the pair went to the nearby petrol station where Finch was caught on CCTV filling up a canister.
After what was thought to be a dispute with the occupants of the flat, arsonists Logsdon and Finch poured the fuel over the rear door and through a window before setting it alight and running away.
Fortunately, no-one was injured.
The very same canister that was seen in the hands of Finch was found once the flames were put out but despite that and other forensic evidence linking them both to the crime, they denied the offence. For Logsdon, however, things were only about to get worse.
When officers searched his mobile phone as part of their routine enquiries, they found he was involved in the supply of Heroin and Crack Cocaine.
Today (Tuesday 7 May 2019) after a three-week trial at Bolton Crown Court, they were both jailed for arson being reckless to whether life would be endangered for 17 years in total.
Detective Constable Pete Jackson of GMP’s Wigan District, said: “By the damage that these two individuals caused, it’s clear they had no care for anyone they may have harmed in committing the crime.
“This was not a crime of passion. It required thought, intent and planning. Something which, with the mounting evidence against them, they had no room to deny.
“With the flat being above a commercial property and close by to other residential properties, the outcome of this could have been absolutely devastating but thankfully, everyone was evacuated safely.”
Logsdon pleaded guilty to theft, which relates to offences he committed whilst wanted by police, and being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. He was found guilty of arson being reckless whether life was endangered. He was sentenced to 15 years in total.
Bradley Finch was found guilty of arson being reckless to whether life was endangered. He was sentenced to seven years.
