A quick-thinking neighbour took action when a smoke alarm sounded and he spotted a wheelie bin on fire outside, a court heard. He responded at around 6.30am on the day of the incident in Taylor Street, Cleethorpes, when a visitor to a neighbouring house had left in a rage and set fire to cardboard, igniting a wheelie bin.
Harry Oliver, 49, of Hammerfest Avenue, Grimsby, admitted a charge of arson when he appeared at Grimsby Crown Court. Prosecuting, Craig Lowe said the defendant had been in relationship with a woman who had lived at the address at the time of the offence on October 5, 2022. Mr Lowe showed CCTV footage from a camera at the rear of the property.
It captured Oliver leaving the terraced home and walking to a nearby alleyway where wheelie bins were kept in a row. READ MORE: Driver caused woman's death in horror crash after taking nitrous oxide and doing 90mph Keep up to date with all the latest crime and court news from Grimsby and Scunthorpe with our free newsletter The footage showed him setting a large piece of cardboard on fire and dropping it into a wheelie bin. Mr Lowe said he then walked off.
The wheelie bin emitted flames and smoke, which triggered a smoke alarm. Mr Lowe said: "The smoke alarm activates and an alert neighbour put on his trainers, came out and stamps out the fire." He said there was damage caused to the wheelie bin but fortunately not to the property, otherwise the charge would have been the more serious offence of arson which was reckless .