Former Big Brother contestant Simone Reed sobbed in court as she admitted buying petrol for a Molotov cocktail that was thrown at a person's head outside a bar earlier this year. The 36-year-old, who appeared on the show in 2017, drove with Carl Wild to a garage after threatening to firebomb the Peggy Junes pub in Redcar following a row.
Reed watched as Wild, 34, launched the petrol bomb at reveller David Brotton, hitting him on the head. CCTV footage showed Brotton rolling on the ground trying to put out the flames engulfing his head, with a passerby rushing to help. Wild also entered the pub, smashing furniture and assaulting patrons. Three people were taken to hospital on 15 February with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Reed pleaded guilty to encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence, specifically arson with recklessness as to whether life would be endangered. In her basis of plea, she stated: 'I had no idea that Carl was going to take it as far as he did... I did not expect at any point that anyone would suffer physical injury.'
The Big Brother star was granted bail with a home curfew between 7pm and 5am. Carl Wild remains in custody, while Lee Wild was also given conditional bail. The three defendants will be sentenced on 9 October.
