Lincoln County Hospital A&E arsonist John Gillon Watson jailed

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-65166424

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John Gillon Watson was jailed for six years and nine months

A man who started a fire at a hospital's accident and emergency department has been jailed.

Patients and staff had to be evacuated from Lincoln County Hospital during the blaze on 29 March 2022, which caused £1.9m of damage.

John Gillon Watson, 57, admitted a charge of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

He was sentenced in his absence to six years and nine months in jail at Lincoln Crown Court.

The court heard nobody was hurt during the incident, but ambulances had to be diverted and the department was closed for nearly two days.

Extensive damage was caused to X-ray, CT and MRI imaging suites on the ward, destroying an ultrasound machine and other equipment after Watson set fire to the contents of a medical trolley.

The moment Watson was caught up in the smoke created by the fire he started

Annabel Lenton, prosecuting, said Watson's movements had been caught on various CCTV cameras after he attended the hospital with chest pains shortly before 01:30 BST.

At about 02:20 BST, Watson could be seen in the A&E department wearing a "distinctive Elvis jacket," the prosecutor said.

He was later filmed in the same room as the seat of the fire, and appeared to be panicking and pushing a fire door three times, the court was told.

Damage caused by the fire

Watson was then seen in a smoke-filled corridor talking to a fire officer.

Police later found a lighter in Watson's sock, which he claimed he did not know was there.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust declared a major incident as a result of the fire, with patients diverted to other departments, as well as other hospitals.

The A&E department was closed for 48 hours and damage to diagnostic equipment meant that more than 3,300 patient appointments for diagnostic tests were delayed.

Explosion risk

Passing sentence, Judge James House KC said there was a real risk of an explosion due to the proximity of gas pipes, and a serious risk to both patients and staff.

"Fortunately the fire doors did their job, although they would have succumbed eventually.

"It was luck and the prompt action of the fire service and staff that stopped it becoming even more dangerous.

"The damage done, both physical and the knock-on impact on staff and the hospital in their ability to provide healthcare for Lincolnshire, was substantial."

The A&E department at Lincoln County Hospital was closed for nearly two days after the blaze

Watson, of Vicarage Court, Sleaford, also previously admitted a separate charge of arson on 16 October 2021 when he set fire to a bin near a burger bar in Sleaford.

The judge said Watson had shown a pattern of behaviour which presented a substantial risk to the public in the future.

The court was also told Watson had refused to co-operate with either a probation or psychiatric report and had refused to leave his cell or appear via video-link for the hearing.

A prison officer told the court he had personally informed Watson of the hearing, but he had waved him away.

"He was laid on his bed merrily watching television, and vaping," the officer said.

Speaking at the conclusion of the case, Det Sgt Dave Patten, from Lincoln CID, described it as "one of the most serious and reckless cases of arson we have ever dealt with".

"The potential for harm should that fire have escalated is unthinkable," he said.

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