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Real Crisps fire: Colin Goulding jailed for factory arson | Real Crisps fire: Colin Goulding jailed for factory arson |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A man has been jailed for more than six years after starting a fire which destroyed a crisp factory in Crumlin in September 2012. | A man has been jailed for more than six years after starting a fire which destroyed a crisp factory in Crumlin in September 2012. |
Colin William Goulding, 31, from Abertillery, Blaenau Gwent, pleaded guilty to arson with intent to endanger life at the Real Crisps plant in Caerphilly county. | Colin William Goulding, 31, from Abertillery, Blaenau Gwent, pleaded guilty to arson with intent to endanger life at the Real Crisps plant in Caerphilly county. |
Cardiff Crown Court heard it took more than 60 firefighters to tackle the blaze with 20 staff led to safety. | Cardiff Crown Court heard it took more than 60 firefighters to tackle the blaze with 20 staff led to safety. |
About 80 jobs were lost. | |
The factory's owners - Tayto - offered jobs at their plants in Ireland and England, but few took up the opportunity. | The factory's owners - Tayto - offered jobs at their plants in Ireland and England, but few took up the opportunity. |
The court was told Goulding admitted flicking a lit cigarette in the factory and around 60,000 litres of oil used to fry the crisps fuelled the flames that tore through the building. | The court was told Goulding admitted flicking a lit cigarette in the factory and around 60,000 litres of oil used to fry the crisps fuelled the flames that tore through the building. |
'Exceptional circumstance' | |
CCTV images showed him around the time the fire was started and he later went outside to film what was happening. | CCTV images showed him around the time the fire was started and he later went outside to film what was happening. |
The court heard that Goulding, who has the intellectual capacity of a 14-year-old, knew both his parents were working in the building at the time. | The court heard that Goulding, who has the intellectual capacity of a 14-year-old, knew both his parents were working in the building at the time. |
Sentencing him to six years and three months in prison, Judge Philip Richards said: "It was reckless and I accept you didn't intend to cause the fire. | |
"The wholly exceptional circumstance is the the amount of damage accompanied by the amount of loss suffered by the workforce and community by your acts. | |
"Nevertheless, this remains a serious case." | |
After the sentencing Crumlin councillor Keith Lloyd said he was disappointed by the length of the sentence. | After the sentencing Crumlin councillor Keith Lloyd said he was disappointed by the length of the sentence. |
"I expected a more severe sentence to be honest, given the seriousness of the offence," he told BBC Radio Wales. | "I expected a more severe sentence to be honest, given the seriousness of the offence," he told BBC Radio Wales. |
"It's been pretty devastating for an area of high unemployment. | "It's been pretty devastating for an area of high unemployment. |
"I spoke to three people locally who worked there and fortunately they secured jobs but a lot of the employees were temporary and part-time. | "I spoke to three people locally who worked there and fortunately they secured jobs but a lot of the employees were temporary and part-time. |
He added: "The hope in the community is that a company will come in and take one of the factories on the site. We've got a number of empty factories within the Crumlin area." | He added: "The hope in the community is that a company will come in and take one of the factories on the site. We've got a number of empty factories within the Crumlin area." |