An arsonist caused damage worth at least £49,000 to repair after torching 10 cars in two County Durham streets.
Paul Reay set fire to the vehicles in the early hours of February 12 by using a "blowtorch-style lighter" and left the scene looking like a "war film". The 39-year-old completely burnt out many of the vehicles and even caused damage to people's homes as families huddled together in terror.
Reay, of Chepstow Street, Millfield, Sunderland, appeared at Durham Crown Court on Friday via link from HMP Durham to be sentenced for 10 counts of arson. He had pleaded guilty to the offences.
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The court heard that Reay set fire to 10 cars in two streets in Crook, Milburn Street and Wilson Street, and left behind a trail of destruction. Two Ford Fiestas, two Ford Focuses, a Volkswagen T-Roc, a Vauxhall Corsa, two Mercedes, a Volkswagen Golf and a Vauxhall Insignia were all either badly damaged or completely destroyed.
John Hobley, prosecuting, said one Ford Focus was "damaged beyond repair" and another was "completely burnt out". The owner of the Volkswagen Golf was said to have ran out of his home with his partner in "utter terror" and described the blaze as "looking like a war movie".
Mr Hobley said damage worth at least £49,600 to repair was caused, but the total figure is likely to be much higher. He said: "There was CCTV and the defendant was identified from the footage. A blowtorch-style lighter was disposed of in the footage and the defendant was arrested on February 17. He denied being responsible and told police he had been drinking and taking 'benzos' that night."
Reay had 23 previous convictions for 43 offences, including for burglary and dishonesty matters. He had also been dealt with for GBH when a youth. He was on licence at the time of the arson attacks.
Christopher Knox, defending, said Reay had no history of committing arson offences and that the offence was "sparked at least by drink and or drugs, to which he is deeply susceptible".
He added: "He had never been to Crook before and does not have the slightest hostility to any people who live there or the cars he damaged. He has had a life which has been spent mostly in prison...it was reckless rather than any deliberate attempt at targeting."
Sentencing Reay, Judge Jo Kidd said despite telling police he had been drinking, the CCTV showed he was not staggering about. She said he had never explained why he committed the arson attacks and said terrified victims were "huddled with their families" as the cars burnt in front of them.
Reay was sentenced to an extended prison sentence of 11-and-a-half years - seven-and-a-half years of which will be custodial.
Detective Sergeant Claire Callaghan, of South Durham CID, said: "This was a deliberate and horrific incident that could easily have ended in tragedy.
“Officers worked tirelessly to gather the evidence so it is great to see Reay had no choice but to plead guilty and justice for the residents has been served.
“I would like to thank the members of the public who provided vital information on this case which ultimately helped us bring all ten charges.”
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