Veteran's Peaceful Evening Shattered by Arson Attack
A former soldier from Stockton-on-Tees has described the terrifying moment his neighbour set his garden gazebo on fire while he was relaxing in his hot tub, triggering post-traumatic stress from his military service.
Dennis Coles, 66, was enjoying a quiet evening in his backyard sanctuary when he noticed flames engulfing the roof of his gazebo. The grandfather immediately feared for his life, jumping from the hot tub and rushing to safety inside his kitchen.
CCTV Captures Deliberate Act of Vandalism
Security footage later revealed the shocking truth behind the blaze. The video showed Wayne Loughman, 52, who had lived next door to Mr Coles for 25 years, smoking cigarettes and loitering before throwing a lit rag over the fence directly onto the gazebo's roof.
Mr Coles explained the psychological impact: 'I was petrified. It brought back memories of my time in Ireland. I was on fire, and the lads had to put me out. It was traumatising, and it brought on my PTSD.' The incident brought back vivid memories of a petrol bomb attack he survived while serving with the military in Northern Ireland during the early 1980s.
Pattern of Harassment and Court Consequences
Dennis and his wife Susan Hilson-Greener later reviewed their CCTV and confronted Loughman, who initially refused to speak with them. The following day, he delivered a note through their letterbox reading: 'If the police aren't coming then we need to talk. You need compensation. It wasn't malicious.'
The couple revealed this was merely the latest incident in what they describe as a sustained campaign of harassment. Previous acts included:
- Throwing a Chinese takeaway into their garden
- Placing excrement on their car
- Shining a laser pen into Mr Coles' eyes
In court, Loughman claimed he acted out of frustration due to noise from the hot tub in the early hours of May 11. However, Mr Coles firmly denied these allegations, stating he was alone in the tub and making minimal noise. 'I think he did it because he was jealous of us having a hot tub, and a nice garden,' Mr Coles asserted.
At Teesside Crown Court, Judge Jonathan Carroll addressed Loughman directly: 'You said you were disturbed by the noise from their garden. You could have knocked on their door the next day and said that. You went out in the middle of the night, staring over the garden fence and throwing items over.'
Loughman received a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, along with 200 hours of unpaid work. He was ordered to pay Mr Coles £500 in compensation and given a five-year restraining order.
The veteran, who most recently served with the 4 Yorks regiment, expressed disappointment with the sentence, believing Loughman should have received immediate imprisonment. The traumatic experience has left the couple fearful in their own garden, with Mr Coles adding: 'Our grandchildren love it, but what's happened makes us scared to go in our garden.'
