A family in Bury, Greater Manchester, narrowly escaped death after masked men petrol-bombed their home in a case of mistaken identity linked to a gangland feud. The bungled attack caused a devastating blaze, and the Marsden family lost everything but each other.
Stuart and Claire Marsden had arrived home from a rare date night out, with their children sleeping elsewhere, when they heard a “loud crash” that woke them at about 2am. Mr Marsden went to investigate and found their end-of-terrace home on fire. The couple escaped the blaze, but their house was severely damaged and remains uninhabitable nine months later.
Attack caught on CCTV
Footage recovered by police caught Jody Lynam and a second, unknown offender on camera as they crept towards the house on January 18. Timecodes recorded their approach at about 1.40am. The unknown man smashed a window, and Lynam was seen pouring petrol inside. They then triggered an “explosion” and fled on foot.
Lynam later discarded the balaclava he had been wearing nearby, which had traces of his DNA on it, enabling investigators to trace him back to the arson attack. Minshull Street Crown Court was told that Lynam, a drug addict, and his co-offender had been acting on orders from a drug dealer. Lynam had been pressured into targeting the property of a rival dealer to “send a message”.
Family loses everything
The court was told that Lynam had been told the property would be empty, but it was a devastating case of mistaken identity. Prosecutor Anthony Williams told how Mr Marsden shouted to his wife to get out of bed. They grabbed their dog and a phone to call emergency services and fled.
The fire was extinguished but caused more than £113,000 worth of damage. In a statement read on his behalf, Mr Marsden said: “I have absolutely no reason why anyone would want to do this.” He told how he has been left “traumatised” and in “constant stress”. “I am constantly on edge and keep thinking my whole family could have been wiped out, for no reason at all,” he added.
Mrs Marsden said: “We have lost everything. The children have lost all their Christmas stuff. It is going to take so long to build everything back up. I have done nothing to deserve this.” The couple work as a social worker and a school site manager, the court heard.
Sentencing
Lynam has racked up 122 previous offences on his criminal record. Defending, Adam Brown said that Lynam had been in poor health prior to the arson attack, but had been released from hospital and then became addicted to crack cocaine. He said Lynam’s home had been “commandeered” by drug dealers and that he was “highly intoxicated” at the time of the attack. He is “genuinely remorseful” and is in a “much better position” than when he was first placed on remand in prison after his arrest, Mr Brown said.
The family were initially placed in a hotel and then temporary accommodation. The home still remains uninhabitable. “This was an extremely serious offence,” Judge Jenny Lester-Ashworth told Lynam. Right before Lynam was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison, the presiding judge said: “This could have been multiple people killed.”
Lynam, of Hardfield Street, Heywood, pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.
