Five jailed after car was driven into property and set alight

FIVE men have been jailed for a total of 25 years after a car was reversed into John Henry Sayers’ property and set on fire.

- By ROB KENNEDY

The arsonists had already torched a car belonging to Sayers two days earlier when they went back to “finish the job”.

Dramatic CCTV footage captured the moment a Range Rover was reversed into the former Lou's Diner, underneath Sayer’s home on Fossway, Byker.

After it was crashed into the doors of the cafe, it was torched.

The video recording showed Sayers emerge from the property, where he was with his family, and move the burning car away from the building, which prevented the fire spreading inside.

Now Grant Royal, John Reid, Mitchell Smith, Grant Curley and Walter Patterson have been jailed at Newcastle Crown Court after pleading guilty to the arson attacks, which happened in January and February this year.

Richard Herrmann, prosecuting, told the court: “A mixed business and residential property at Fossway, Byker was the subject of two separate but closely linked arson attacks on 31st of January and then 2nd of February of this year.

“The property consists of an occupied, residential flat above a business premises. The principal occupant of the premises is a man called John Henry Sayers, who was present, along with others, at the time of both attacks.

“These five defendants have each admitted their part in those events by entering guilty pleas that amount to admissions by them all that they were involved in both attacks on each occasion being reckless as to whether the life of John Henry Sayers would be endangered.”

On January 31, footage shows Curley and Patterson douse a VW Golf parked at the side of the property in fuel and set it alight, leaving it severely damaged.

On February 2, Curley and Patterson went back in a Range Rover and reversed it into the property.

Curley initially left the handbrake off, causing it to roll forwards, before getting back in and reversing it into the building a second time, after which Patterson set it on fire, at around 7.30pm.